A Pinch of Gold
by JSpooky
Summary: Lina's small. Tiny, even. But ends up on a grand adventure with her best friend in the world. The Dark One. Rumplestiltskin x OC; AU
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone. It's been a while, hasn't it? I want to thank those of you that are here because of alerts as well as people that are not aware of my work. Welcome to this little journey.

I also want to let those of you know that are subscribed to alerts that I haven't forgotten my previous stories. I think of them often and my Star Trek one is always in my mind. It's been 5 years since an update, but it WILL be complete. If not for my personal closure, but for those of you still interested in it. Thank you for your interest.

Let's get this show on the road then, shall we?

Disclaimer: I only own Lina (out of character) and her personality, not the story she comes from. In addition, I don't own Once Upon a Time, Rumplestiltskin, real estate in the Enchanted Forest, or an apartment overlooking Granny's in Storybrooke. Please enjoy.

Chapter One

The tavern had never seemed noisier, but that's what the tiny bartender always said. Every night, the townsfolk would leave their children home and waste away under the dim candles in sconces on the walls. They always wanted beer and mead, never minding that the small woman could hardly carry the items to them at the bar. They were all drunk enough to imagine that she was the same size as everyone else and attempted to buy her drinks to pass the time. Though she never indulged, it was still nice that some of them even asked.

"Little Thumb! I needs me another!" someone shouted to her, making her wince. He was beside her and spittle flew into her face. Her ears were ringing by the time she was pushing his mug toward the barrel. "An- don't fall in, would ya?" The man and his friends laughed, remembering a day early in her time there that she accidentally fell into a mug while filling. Now, she just asked Jacob, the second bartender, to do the work for her.

Brushing her dark hair from her face, the small woman reflected on how she got there. To that tavern in particular. She didn't have time to really dawdle around, so she pushed the mug of beer toward the customer and held out her hands. "Same price, Hugo," she said loudly for him to hear in his drunken state, and he held out a large silver coin to her in payment. He wasn't a bad guy, just too loud for her tastes.

Turning from the large man, the girl spotted a new patron at the end of the bar. She tilted her head curiously, grabbed the skirt of her dress, and weaved around the mugs of bear and food to get to the somber face in the corner. Soon enough, she saw someone that she recognized from around town, but never saw him drink. Though she'd seen his wife dozens of times.

"What can I get cha, dearie?" she asked, moving around his clenched fists to look up into his face. The men around the bar laughed when they heard her talk to him, but with a small glare, they went back to their own business. The man in question looked upset and she was the only one that could see that.

The man looked away from his hands then, staring at her in the face. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch, but the same broken hearted sadness still engulfed them. He seemed to bite his lips for an instant before he was looking away from her in a huff. "Aren't ya a bit small to be working in a place like this, lass?"

"Don't confuse small for naïve," she shot back instantly, already having had her fair share of patrons ask the same question. She was small, yes, but she could do a lot around the bar and the others took a liking to her for it. They said she had spirit, considering her circumstances. "My name's Lina."

"I know who you are. Thumbelina, they call ya-"

"Don't ever call me that again, spinner," she hissed and gathered her skirts again. "If ya want nothin', then I'll go elsewhere," she added before turning away from him. She was about to stomp off when a warm, calloused hand made a barrier in front of her. She turned to the owner and glared.

"Ah'm sorry, mah wee lass. I just…," unshed tears appeared in the man's eyes and made her soften instantly.

He was in pain, just as she thought. She turned back around to face him and patted his hand. "It's alright, dearie. What can I get ya, Rumplestiltskin?" she asked again, a bit less gruff.

He gave her a small watery smile and sighed. "Yer darkest ale would do fine, lass," he said quietly, but even with as much noise as there was, she heard him clearly. His sadness made him look so much older than he was, a broken man that she could only assume had to deal with his family.

Lina knew of Rumplestiltskin just after she moved to town, having heard stories from bar patrons of the coward spinner. She never spoke up, but she understood why a man would run from a war that would leave his loved ones without a father, a husband. He permanently disfigured himself in order to help his family and she couldn't be disgusted by that sort of behavior. It took bravery to hurt yourself for someone else.

Another reason that she knew of the poor man had to do with his wife, Milah. Lina had tended bar enough to know that Milah was a regular and gloated about being out while her husband stayed home. That was a person that disgusted Lina to the point that she refused to serve her. The larger woman always looked at her curiously and surprised when she got a glare in return, but never started any problems over it. The opinion of someone that could never even be full size meant nothing.

But now, Rumplestiltskin was here and Milah was not. A moment of confusion and clarity happened upon Lina as she pushed the full mug toward the man in question. When she got there, tears were streaming down his face and she immediately grabbed a small rag to give to him.

"Here, dearie. Take the time ya need, okay? If ya need-"

"She left me. She left our son," the man sobbed, clenching his fists against his eyes, making her gasp slightly. He sounded so broken and she couldn't help but move closer to him and rub his arm. "She left with a bloody pirate!" he growled, making her jump a bit as he slammed his hand into the bar. To her, it was a small earthquake and she fell to her backside next to his fist. She wasn't hurt, but a small jittery apology came from above. "Wee lass. Ah'm sorry. I didn't hurt ya?" he asked, loosening his hand and holding it out for her.

She laughed slightly and grabbed hold of his fingers to get herself up. Brushing her dress a bit, she shook her head, green eyes bright in amusement. "I'm alright. Don't worry about me. Take a drink, it'll calm your nerves a bit," she said and pushed his drink toward him again. His eyes softened as he took a drink and had to bite back a wince. "The darker the better in helping forget problems."

"I spin to forget. But in my weakness…"

"I understand. Believe me. But if you ever decide to make yourself a regular, I'll keep this seat warm for you," she said gently and when he nodded to her, she went back to taking orders from the other drunks. Every so often, she couldn't help but glance his way as he nursed the mug. He looked just as broken from the opposite side of the bar as he did when she was face to face with him.

"Lina, didja get coin from the cripple?" Jacob asked, passing her on his way to hand out mugs. She winced and put on her sweetest smile as she turned to face him. "Lina… Ya can't go around givin' free drink ta beggars."

"He wasn't a beggar. His wife's gone, Jacob. The man's hurtin'," she hissed at him, making him shake his head with laugher in his eyes. "What?"

"Ya got too big a heart for such a small body. Fine. This once. Next time, he pays."

Lina smiled triumphantly and turned to look toward her new favorite customer to see an empty mug and a vacant seat. She frowned a bit and moved to the other side of the bar to clean up the area. As she stepped in front of the mug, she noticed a small copper piece under the bottom. She sighed and shook her head before trying to get a glimpse of him leaving. She thought she saw a smaller man brush past one of the larger drunken regulars, but he was gone before she could blink. Taking the copper, she dropped it toward the tip can to remind herself to seek him out later to return it.


	2. Chapter 2

I only own the plot and the personality of Lina, not the character or story she comes from. I also do not own Once Upon a Time.

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Chapter Two

It'd been a few weeks since her first encounter with Rumplestiltskin and she had yet to see him again in that seat. She always kept an eye out for the broken man, and even a few patrons would notice her staring at the door. A few comments passed the first few nights, but after a while of him not showing, they stopped their laughing.

"Ya can't fall in love with a cripple, Lina. He couldn't do much for you, even if you were full sized," Jacob said as he cleaned the bar once again after a quiet night. Earlier in the day, the damn knights showed up and took two girls and a boy in order to make them soldiers. The entire town was depressed and though the tavern was quiet, it was filled with grieving people.

"I'm not in love with anyone, so bite yer tongue, sir," Lina replied, washing out a mug that Jacob dropped off to her. She was regularly barraged with tipsy flirting, but she never took anything seriously. She was four inches tall, by the gods. The very idea of being crushed in a lover's intimate moment made her cringe.

Jacob gave her a look and shrugged. He looked like he was about to turn away when something seemed to come to his mind. Looking unsure of himself, he nudged her. "Um… Ya know his soon will be of age soon."

He didn't need to say who, Lina knew right away. She'd never seen the boy, but knowing that he'd be 14 soon broke her small heart. She dropped the mug she was working on and looked up at Jacob fearfully. "He can't be. He'll lose his son, too! And his wife just…"

"Ya can't save everyone here, Lina. I get you feel bad for the man, but this is war time. You have to only think of yourself. No matter how much that hurts," her friend responded and picked up the mug she was working on. "Why don't you head home, Lina. It's a bit early yet and after today, I doubt anyone's out."

The girl nodded, her green eyes watery with the latest revelation in the little town. She didn't know what to do other than nod to him and hopped off the counter. Landing below the large man, she moved slowly toward where her cloak and bag were. Inside the bag was the copper piece that she had been holding onto in order to return it to Rumplestiltskin. She waved to Jacob and made her way out the small opening in the wall, far enough away from the front door to avoid being stepped on.

The night was quiet, just as Jacob said it would be. Though the sun had only set a mere hour or two ago, no one was seen outside of their little homes. The town center was barren and even the torches that were lit up at night were snuffed out. Few candles or fires were lit in the homes she passed and she wondered if they all went to sleep, holding each other close, trying to will the days of battle away. She knew they were all in pain, though she'd never experienced that herself.

Lina had grown up in a different part of the kingdom on a farm far enough away from a village that she never knew about soldiers taking children for battle. The woman she called mother was an older woman that never had any children of her own during her youth and now ran a farm alone. She'd given shelter to an old woman who gave her a small seed to plant in order to receive her true heart's desire.

The elder woman watered the seed and cared for it, happy to do as the beggar woman asked. Within a few months, the seed sprouted and grew a flower bud, waiting to open. One sunset, the woman tended to her flower, anxious for it to open. As the last rays of the sun fell through the window, the flower opened to reveal a small girl no larger than the old woman's thumb. The woman fell to her knees in tears, happy to finally have what she sought most in the world.

"Hello. I had dreams that told me you were my mother," the tiny girl said and the woman was enraptured by the little voice that would become a turning point in her days. She nodded and grinned widely as the girl moved to sit in her palm.

"Yes. And I will call you Thumbelina."

A slight scuff of footsteps brought Lina out of her memories, making her freeze. She was just outside of the town now, passing the homes of the more reclusive townsfolk. She didn't pay much attention to this part of town on her walks home, but in the glowing moon, she saw the shadows fall away. To her right, she saw a small little home with a candle burning in the window. She smiled warmly, anxious to have a candle to warm her up soon. But her smile was brushed away when she heard the footsteps again.

The front door of the home opened and a figure seemed to be sneaking from the darkness inside. The figure held a staff in their hand and seemed to limp toward an object at the side of the house. Lina stayed stock still, watching the movement and then gasped when a spark shot out and lit up the torch nearby. The figure froze in the new torch light and hissed out. "Who's there? Show yerself."

Though the voice was gruff, Lina knew who it belonged to instantly. Running to the side of the house, she moved into the light. "Rumplestiltskin. It's Lina."

The person she now recognized turned on his good foot and looked over the grass in order to catch her small stature. His fierce glare melted and a look of worry replaced it. He knelt down into the grass beside her and held out a hand. "Mah wee lass. What are you doing out here at this time of night?" he asked as she took a step into his hand and balanced herself with his thumb.

Though Lina rarely let people touch her, much less hold her, she was surprised that she felt safe with the man and his warm hands. She smiled slightly and waved at him before he held her at eye level. "Good evening, Rumplestiltskin."

The man didn't look as happy as she did, which she knew couldn't have been her fault. As far as she knew, he always seemed a bit on the upset side. Though his bright hazel eyes were looking particularly broken this evening, she squeezed his thumb lightly in a hug. She couldn't do much at her height, but she could at least send a greeting.

"Yer too small to be out here alone, Lina. Where are you going?" he asked, his voice curious rather than gruff. "Shouldn't you be at the tavern?"

"Jacob told me to head home after… after today," she said quietly, barely audible over the crackling over the torch. But the man seemed to hear it as he slumped a bit and made to sit against the house. "He's finishing up back at the pub."

The man above her nodded and ran his free hand through his hair. At the mention of what happened during daylight hours, he seemed a bit more upset. She sat watching him a moment and nudged his thumb.

"What are you doing out so late?" she wondered aloud, trying to catch his eye. He didn't seem to notice and looked to his right a bit unfocused. "Did something happen?"

"I came out here to spin," he said quietly.

"To forget. Is it about your son?" she asked just as quietly, afraid he'd fly into a rage at the reminder. But he didn't. He only nodded and his hand quivered beneath her. They didn't say anything for a moment before Rumplestiltskin was on his feet again and moving toward the spinning wheel just outside of the torch's circle of light.

"He'll be 14 in a few days," he said as he sat at the wheel. She stared up at him and he smiled sadly. "I need to do something to protect him. But what can I do?"

Lina looked at the man above her and squeezed a hand to her heart at the hopelessness she felt radiate off of him. So his son would be leaving sooner than she thought. And that monstrous cavalry would take him away from the man who had nothing left. His ability to walk properly, his reputation, his wife, and now his young son. The man couldn't catch a break.

"Run."

Rumplestiltskin looked down at her wearily and shook his head. "You've seen me hobble around town, lass. I couldn't run if I wanted."

"That's not what I meant… I mean take your son and run from here. Leave the village," she said not unkindly. She crawled across his palm and tried to reach up to his face. "Hide."

"Ya think it's that easy?" he asked, suddenly angry enough that his brogue became more prominent. "Ya think I can pack up what life we have and save mah boy? They'd be on us within a day and where would tha' get us? He'll be taken and I'll be hung. Is tha' what ya want, lass?" he barked, his eyes flashing dangerously in the orange light.

Lina shrunk away from him and looked away, feeling those eyes burning into her. She didn't think it was that easy, no, but it was all she could think of to save the man and his son. What else would help them? Moving to the edge of his palm, Lina tried to find enough footing to jump away. "I'm… I'm s-sorry, Rumplestiltskin. I just…"

But the man stopped her attempt at descent and cupped his hands around her. She refused to look up at him, tears in her eyes, but he cooed at her then. "Lass, ah'm sorry. I shouldn't… I'm angry, but not at you, lass. I know you're trying to help," he said and brought her closer to his face then. She glanced at him and his eyes were back to their normal, sad hazel. "But runnin' won't solve all mah problems."

She nodded, understanding where he was coming from. He ran from war and he was permanently scarred physically and emotionally. Nothing was going to change that. And running now would make things worse. She was short on ideas, no pun intended.

"Can… can I sit with you while you spin?" she asked. He seemed a bit surprised at the request, but nodded no the less. He moved his hand toward his shoulder and she hopped off to make herself stable behind his ear. He didn't say anything else as he picked up where he seemed to have left off and Lina focused on the wheel. The nights silence wasn't even broken by the consistent spin, giving her the idea that he took care of his wheel well.

Lina was content to sit with Rumplestiltskin that night, losing her focus on the wheel and closing her eyes. She made herself comfortable against his neck and soon enough the spinner noticed that her breathing evened out. Though he took to the wheel to forget, he couldn't pull himself away from the fact that a tiny girl was sitting in his hair. A small smile passed his lips as he ended his ministrations an hour before daybreak, cupped the girl in his hands, and brought her into his home for the remainder of the night.

Rumplestiltskin placed the girl in a small bowl with a scrap of cloth and situated it close to the bed he shared with Baelfire. The boy was in a deep sleep and barely moved when he joined him. Looking between the two, Rumplestiltskin felt a warmth wash over him for the briefest of moments before sleep finally took him.


	3. Chapter 3

I only own Lina's personality. Not the character or the story she comes from. I also do not own Once Upon a Time. I apologize for any mistakes in this. I really just wanted to get it out and start on the next chapter.

Lina could have sworn someone was watching her sleep. The very idea made her shiver under her blanket, curling her body into a small ball. But no one would be in her house watching her, right? She felt calm for all of a second before she realized she never actually made it home the night before. Suddenly, the little woman was wide awake and her green eyes snapped open. She saw a strange wooden wall in front of her and around her was a small grey blanket that was a bit big for her. Rolling onto her back she realized that her bed was curved and a thoughtful look crossed her face. But that feeling of being watched continued. She huffed to herself before looking up and screamed.

"What is it?" a familiar voice called, seemingly worried at the sound she had emitted. She was trembling under the blanket before the room started to feel more crowded and a shadow fell over her. "Wha's wrong, lass?" the voiced asked, making her peek out.

"She just woke up, looked at me, and screamed, papa. I didn't mean to scare her. I just didn't know what… who she was!" a different voice said, making Lina shrink back into her blanket. She heard a tired sigh from the man she knew and she saw his hand land somewhere as he seemed to lean.

"Ya can't watch a young woman as she sleeps, Bae. Scare her half to death. Mah wee lass, I'm sorry for mah son. You can come out of hidin' now," Rumplestiltskin said gently after admonishing the owner of the other voice. When she didn't move out of the cloth right away, he nudged the little bundle with the very tip of his finger. "Come out, Lina. He won' hurt ya."

Carefully, the little brunette crawled out of her blanket and her green eyes lit up upon seeing her friend towering above her. She gave him a shy smile before looking over to the stranger. He was a dark-haired boy with curiosity in his eyes and an apologetic frown on his lips. She peered at him for a moment before turning back to the spinner.

"Good morning, Rumplestiltskin. Is this your son, then?" she asked, slowly becoming more comfortable with the fact that she was now in a room with two large people she hardly knew. She was used to being around people at the pub, but she had to psych herself up for that nearly every night. It also helped that Jacob was around so that if anyone gave her trouble, he was always there to take care of it. Now, she was in the presence of two people that could hurt her easily if they were evil enough and no one would be the wiser. The rest of the town would think she got lost in her own back yard and disappeared.

Lina shook herself and winced. She couldn't – wouldn't think that way about her new friend. She liked the spinner and the way he was sweet to her without them being more acquainted. She wondered why his wife would leave him alone with their teen son. If he was genuine and he was actually the person that he seemed to be, Lina felt like she would never understand why he was left behind. She wouldn't have done that if she were close to him.

"Aye. This is mah boy, Baelfire. My first and only son. Bae, this is Lina. She works at the tavern with Jacob, Godric's pa," Rumplestiltskin said, his eyes gazing at his son. The look of realization flashed in the boy's eyes then and a wide smile split his face. The spinner started to smile just from the sight.

"Ya! Godric said somethin' about that. That a little person was working at the tavern. But I didn't think she'd be this little. Are you a faerie, Miss Lina?" Baelfire asked, bending low so that his eyes were now level with her bed. Though he could have had a better view from above, he was close enough to see the flush on her face. It was slightly intimidating.

"Oh, no. I-I'm no faerie. No. I don't know what I am. I'm just little," she said with a smile and pushed her blanket away from her. She straightened out her dress then and looked up at her friend. "Rumplestiltskin, did you put me in a bowl to sleep?" she asked, amused when his smile fell and a red tint covered the rest of his face. She laughed lightly and moved to climb out of her makeshift bed and onto the table.

"I didn't want you to get lost or taken. It was the only pace that would be suitable to keep you safe so that you didn't plummet to your death or get squished in the bed with us," Rumplestiltskin said, moving his hand so that she had something to grab onto for stabilization. She clutched his fingers then, and he gently lifted her from the bowl and onto his shoulder. She smiled as she was buried in his hair and turned back to his son. His son was looking at them suspiciously.

"Ya always ride on people's shoulders, Miss Lina?" he asked, eyes darting between his father and the little woman on his shoulder. If she didn't know any better, Lina would think that the boy thought there was something going on between them.

Shaking her head, Lina sighed. "You don't have to call me that. Lina is fine, you know. And no, I generally don't make it a habit of traveling via grown people, but your father seems to find it amusing, so I humor him, dearie."

A laugh came from Rumplestiltskin and his shoulders shook lightly. Lina grabbed onto his hair and squeezed her thighs around his shoulder blade to hold on. "Ah, yes. I amuse myself by being the prancing pony of a tiny woman. Where shall I take thee, my mistress?" he asked teasingly, trying to turn his head enough to see her.

"Yes, let's pick fun at the woman that can't even defend herself against a blade of grass. I'm sure that makes you feel manly, Rumple," she said in a huff, making him laugh a bit more. She looked away from the two of them, glad to be hiding in the spinner's hair so that she may hide the blush she knew was crossing her face.

The man was a completely different person than the one she met that night at the tavern or the one she sat with the previous evening. The man she met was so sad, dejected. This one laughed, smiled, and even made a joke or two. She felt a little dizzy from his different personalities. Perhaps it was just the night that got to him.

"I'm going to take Lina to her home, Bae. You stay inside until I return, aye?"

Baelfire nodded with a small smile and held up his hand in a small wave. Lina parted the curtain of hair she was hiding behind and waved back at the boy. She liked him already and had absolutely no doubt about why Rumplestiltskin didn't want to let the soldiers have his son. He was good natured, naturally curious, and gave his father a smile brighter than the stars. She could never begrudge someone that made someone she liked so happy, even if they woke her up while they stared at her.

Leaning on his walking stick, Rumplestiltskin left the small home he made with his son and started his trek further from the now bustling little village. Few called to him to talk and even less gave him amicable glances as he paced by. Lina was surprised that the people around them gave the spinner the cold shoulder and it made her slightly sick to her stomach.

"Forgive my son, Lina. He has never seen anything outside of this village. He's never seen anything that would be considered different from he and his friends."

Lina forgot the dirty looks the villagers gave Rumplestiltskin in order to scoot closer to his face without falling over. She leaned closer to his ear so that he could hear her over the dull rumble of the village's occupants.

"It's alright, Rumple. He seems like a good boy. Frightened me a bit, but no harm done," she said, patting him on the temple lightly. His shoulders shook in laughter again and they slipped into silence. They walked a bit longer before they were nearing the tree line of the forest just beyond the village. Lina perked up and tapped her friend's shoulder a bit. "Here's fine, dearie. I can trek the rest of the way."

Rumplestiltskin stopped and reached up to her. She grabbed onto his fingers and waited patiently for him to put her down. When he didn't, she tilted her head a bit and he moved her to his face. "What do you mean 'trek the rest of the way?' Where is your home, Lina?"

Lina blushed and bit her lip before waving a hand in the general direction of the place she called home. "Past the trees a bit. It's too much for you to walk through in your condition. A lot of roots and stones to trip over. Just let me down and I'll make it from here," she said and smiled up at him. He didn't look that impressed, however, and refused to lean down to let her off on the ground.

"I would like to see your home, if you don't mind," he said warily, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced into the trees. She had to stifle a groan as she shook her head. She would be fine getting home on her own if he just let her down. She was about to protest before he looked at her pleadingly, making her heart clench. "Just let me see, lass. I promise I won't tell anyone where you are so that you don't get hurt. I just need to make sure it's suitable for you."

After so many years of being along, Lina felt her stomach flip at the idea of someone being worried for her. Her mother was worried for her all the time, of course, but she never had anyone unrelated to her, especially a man, care about her wellbeing. Jacob didn't count. He was her boss, not her friend. He made that very clear.

Heaving a sigh, Lina's shoulders dropped and she nodded a bit. "Alright. It's just inside the brush. It's the tree with the red toadstools around the base," she said, sitting in his palm now instead of standing, waiting to depart. She knew she wouldn't win this battle as it was fairly easy that Rumplestiltskin would simply carry her off again and refuse to allow her return. This way, she could get home and perhaps sleep more before her shift.

The spinner limped forward a few feet before he began to search for the tree Lina spoke of. She knew it was a bit further to the east than their current position and pointed in the direction he should be going. Without a word, he steadily made his way over the roots and stones she warned him of, meticulously watching his step.

"You walk into the woods at night with no one to help you and no light? You must be daft, my dear. I wouldn't purposefully come this way unless I was running from something," he said quietly before they both spotted her tree at the same time. Though he didn't walk any faster than before, Rumplestiltskin seemed a bit more hurried to reach the tree and see Lina's home for himself. She didn't mind either way, content to sit with her friend and the idea of getting home.

The two approached the tree and immediately Rumplestiltskin felt tense beneath Lina's hands. He must have seen the little home she made, then. He didn't say anything but simply stared at the base of the tree. She didn't say anything either, waiting for that judgmental tirade she was probably going to get.

"This… is your home?" he asked, a tint of sadness in his voice as he knelt down. He held his hand out and Lina jumped from his fingers to the small little door she made and attached to the base of the tree.

Beyond the little door was a dark hole that housed a small sweetgrass mat she'd made to sleep on and a little table she fashioned out of a chunk of wood. In the corner was a trough made from the bark of the tree to form a wash basin with some clay bowls lining the back wall. There were a few dresses hanging over a stone and a basket of nuts she'd found. It was very basic and not a bit homey, something Rumplestiltskin fought not to voice.

"So?" Lina asked, looking up to the man as she leaned against one of the mushrooms outside of her little door. He seemed to snap back into reality and she couldn't help the sigh that came from her. "Does it pass inspection?"

"You live here? In a hole in a tree?" he asked quietly, his eyes looking away from her. She winced at the disbelief and disappointment in his voice, but she didn't look away from him. She did what she could with her little home and she was very proud of herself to have made something after losing her mother. "Lina, ya can't…"

"Rumple, this is where I live. I've lived here for a few winters now. It's adequate," she said, hardly confident enough to try to lie to him. It was adequate for her needs but by no means the castle she always wanted when she was younger. But she was now in a reality that made her indifferent to the luxuries of life and though she was small, she was fierce.

The two of them were silent for a moment or two, Lina becoming uncomfortable the longer it took for Rumplestiltskin to respond. She had no idea what was going on behind those hazel eyes she started to adore, but she didn't think it would result in anything in her favor.

"I want ya to come live with Bae and me."


	4. Chapter 4

"I want ya to come live with Bae and me."

That statement alone made Lina's head throb and her stomach roll in her abdomen. The very notion of living with someone, let alone a man, made her faint. She hadn't lived with anyone since her mother and even then, it had its drawbacks. This wasn't even mentioning the time that she was kidnapped by a toad in order to marry her son. She somehow escaped from that horrible circumstance with a few right hooks to her intended.

Unfortunately for all involved, Lina didn't say anything to Rumplestiltskin before she ran into her little home and locked the door as best she could. She knew she had absolutely no way of keeping the man out should he try to grab her, but she hoped that he was nice enough that he wouldn't do such a thing. The darkness in the tree was broken by small shafts of light from the door and she knew that the man hadn't followed her. She didn't hear anything for a moment, waiting for the sound of a breath, the snap of a twig. It seemed like hours before she heard him scuff away into the leaves.

"Oh, what would mother say," she whispered and sat on the small mat that was her bead. Holding her head in her hands, she felt tears well up in her eyes but wouldn't allow them to fall. Why should she feel badly for feeling that way? She was brought up to be a proper young lady, regardless of her place of employment. Though she spent years trying to toughen herself up for the village, there were some mannerisms that just wouldn't drown in drink.

Some hours passed since she saw her friend, but she was no closer to sleep than she was earlier. The suggestion swam through her head with the fantasy that they would become a little family. Every time the idea that she and Rumple would be happy together circled back around, she would firmly shake her head and huff. No. He was the size of a normal person, previously married, and had a son that was about to be taken away by the soldiers.

Baelfire. Bae. He was leaving soon. The sudden realization that the only person Rumple had left would be leaving struck her and made her feel guilty. He needed her, whether he admitted to it or not and she ran away like a coward. She scoffed and looked up into the trunk of the tree, an ant or two crawling about. Now who was the one running from their problems?

"What is wrong with you?" she asked herself, covering her face with her arms. "He asks you, as a friend, to stay with him and it'll benefit both of you. And you run away like a child."

Lina was silent after that, running this new problem in her head. What where they going to do? What could she, of all people, do? She couldn't very well let Bae leave and have Rumple, her only friend, be alone. She couldn't see the man even m0re broken. She groaned then and rolled off the mat. Looking around her small home, she rested her head on her knees.

It wouldn't take much to pack. She had a small satchel in the corner and only two outfits that her mother had made before she passed away. Then there was the small locket that Cornelius gave her before he forgot her all those years ago. To think of the fae prince now made her smile a bit.

Cornelius was nice enough but he was very flighty, no pun intended. She thought she loved him, though she believed in love at first sight. But even though she begged him not to forget her, he did so. The incident with the frogs didn't help, nor did the time with the beetle and the mole, which the Prince actually helped her out of. But he didn't love her as she did him and he flew away to never be seen again. Back then, she thought she found the people she was supposed to be with; small people. But when that didn't pan out, she was left with her ailing mother. The memories, however, where still nice to think about sometimes. But since then she never sought out another faerie.

Standing from her memories and sadness, Lina started to gather her meager belongings. In minutes, she was looking at her home that looked bigger and barer than before. Wrapping her cloak around her again, she pulled on her boots and made for the door. She was struck then by a dull pain in her shoulders. She rubbed them lightly and wondered if it was because her body knew she wouldn't have to be cramped in such a small place now. She shook her head and tried to forget it. Opening it one last time, she sighed and waved goodbye to her tree. Now it was the trek back to town that would take the longest.

It didn't occur to Lina until about half way into her journey that maybe Rumple didn't want her around after she rejected his initial offer. She faltered in her steps for a moment or two before she shook her head and continued on. "If he rejects me, then I'll just come back here." She felt a little bit better about her new journey and bucked up.

Without Rumplestiltskin carrying her, and the added bag, the journey was taking a little longer than normal. But she didn't mind a bit of it. Lina was savoring the peace of the trees and the small shouts from birds. It would be one of the last times she'd hear the peace as opposite to the village bustle. She doubted that she would make the journey again if she didn't need to.

Soon enough, the trees broke apart and made way for the small hill toward the village. On that hill was the home she was looking for. Taking a deep breath in, green eyes glittering, Lina made her way down.

In the distance there was the usual crowd in the village, peddling their wares, chatting. The air was a little more stifling the closer she got to the center, but she didn't need to go that far right now. She had business to take care of.

Rumplestiltskin's home was now in front of her. The door was tightly shut and the scraps of fabric where covering the windows. It felt deserted somehow, but Lina wasn't going to just sit there. She had a man to see. Before walking to the door, she looked in the dirt for a large (to her) rock and shuffled to the entry. Raising the rock over her head, she used it to pound the door with as much strength as she could. It sounded so loud to her, but at most it sounded like a gentle knock to a big person.

Waiting in silence, Lina tried to listen for movement within the dwelling. She didn't hear anything, not even the subtle shuffling of a spinner with a limp. Raising the rock again, she was about to knock when she heard a dry cough around the corner of the house. Dropping the rock, Lina bounded to the corner and searched. There was the man's spinning wheel, but no spinner in sight.

Lina was about to run around the other corner when she heard someone clear their throat. Looking around, she saw a pair of black, worn boots and muddy pants. Looking up, she sighed in relief. "Baelfire!"

"What are you doing here, Miss Lina? Papa said he took you home," he said, leaning down to offer his hand. Gladly, she hopped up and sat down with her items. Her little legs were tired. He laughed at her and cupped his extra hand around the first. "Papa's tending to the sheep in the back. Would you like me to take you to him?"

Lina brightened up and nodded. "Yes please!" She was so happy that she could burst and she was excited to tell Rumple that she decided to stay with him. "But keep me a surprise. I would like to see his face when he realized I've returned," she whispered loudly when Baelfire lifted her to his face. He winked at her and put his hands behind his back gently.

Hiding in the boy's muddle hands, Lina waited patiently as she was taken to her spinner friend. She was so happy, even if the pain in her shoulders was coming back with a vengeance. She rubbed them and hoped that the excitement would cause the pain to cease. She didn't have long to wait before the boy had stopped moving. She peaked out from between his fingers and tried desperately to listen in.

"Papa, why did Miss Lina decide to leave? And why does she live in the woods?" Baelfire asked, making it seem innocent enough. Lina had to stop herself from laughing.

A heavy sigh sounded and she winced at the tremble in his inhale. "The lass didn't want to stay with us, Bae. I don't know why… She would have made a nice addition, huh?"

"Definitely! I think you need to go back to her and tell her that we need her here!"

"Bae... Just because we want the wee lass to stay doesn't mean we can force her. She wants to be alone… I can't demand that she stay, as much as I want to. You know that."

It was then that Baelfire moved his cupped hands and opened them. The light was bright, but Lina could still make out the face of the tired man. "But I don't want to be alone!" she cried then and looked into his face.

A smile broke out on Rumplestiltskin's face and his hands were out to let her cross to them. "Lina… Ma wee lass, what are you doing back? You don't work until night fall," he said, a slight hitch in his voice. His eyes glittered with hope and she had to bite back the urge to grab his thumbs and hold on tightly.

"I changed my mind, Rumple," she whispered and moved as close to the edge of his palm as she possibly could. He brought her closer to his face where she leaned up and brushed her lips against his cheek. "I would like to stay with you and Baelfire." The two of them were too happy to even notice that the young boy had smiled and left and another in the distance was watching.


	5. Chapter 5

Alrighty. We're headed into some cannon territory. Buckle up.

* * *

Dinner, which was usually a somber affair for both Lina and Rumplestiltskin separately, was a loud, rambunctious affair with the two of them and Baelfire. Rumple was sitting across from Baelfire, and Lina sat close to his plate with a small one of her own. The three of them were well beyond forgetting the issues of the early afternoon and were comfortable together.

"Tomorrow, we'll go to town and sell the yarn we have. It's about a half day's walk. Will you be alright with that, lass?" Rumple asked, sending a smile between his son and friend. Though she was blinded by the hope and happiness between the two, she subconsciously had to ruin it.

"Then I'll be able to get a gift for Baelfire for his birthday," she said with a smile. When the smile from the man's face disappeared, she realized her mistake. Her stomach turned and she looked away to her plate. "I-"

Rumple held his hand up and stopped her from speaking. Leaning forward, he rested his face over his enclosed fists and let his eyes slip shut. "No, lass. Bae… Are you finished?" he asked, his voice low and husky. When his son nodded, he gave him a weak smile. "Then get yourself ready for bed, lad. We'll be leaving at dawn. I'll be walking Lina to the tavern."

Baelfire nodded and sent a small smile toward Lina before leaving the table and moving deeper into the house. Lina didn't look up at Rumplestiltskin for a while, no longer hungry for the sparse dinner they had. Moving her bowl to the side, she tried to turn away.

"Don't. Don't shut us out, Lina. There's nothing to be upset about," he whispered, trying to nudge her around to look at him with his fingers.

"But… He'll be 14 soon."

"Yes. He'll be of age. But that doesn't mean that we'll allow him to go. Just trust me, aye?" he asked when she finally looked at him. His dark eyes shined in knowledge of something she didn't and it confused her. What could he do with Baelfire's birthday in three days? How could he do anything to protect him short of leaving the village?

"Papa. Lina. I just wanted to say… You don't have to worry about me. I'm pretty strong, ya know? I'm one of the fastest boys in the village. I don't think any of those ogres can catch me," Baelfire said sheepishly but became more confident the more he talked. Lina gave him a small smile and looked back up at his father. Rumple shared her look.

"You don't have to worry, Bae. Lina and I will figure something out," he said quietly and motioned for the boy to get into bed. When he disappeared, he sighed deeply and shoved himself away from the table. Holding his hand out, he glanced at Lina. "Shall we?"

Lina slowly stood up and stretched, wincing at the pain in her shoulders. She rubbed them distractedly and moved into Rumple's hand. "Yes. I'm sure everyone wants to drown themselves in beer and I would be sorely missed," she said sarcastically and held onto his thumb. When she looked at him, he had an odd look in his eyes. "What?"

The two of them moved to the door quietly, but when they left the home, he shrugged. "When did your shoulders start hurting?" he asked, nudging her gently. She fell on her backside and gave him a small laugh.

"This morning. Stress, probably."

The walk to the tavern was quiet between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Lina reflected on the friendship they held while huddled up behind his ear. Things had changed so much in such a short amount of time that she was starting to lose where her life was going. Where had it been headed to before? She was so distracted that she didn't realize they were in the tavern until the smoky atmosphere made her cough slightly. It was then that Rumple lifted his hand for her and she was deposited onto the bar.

"Thank you for the ride, Rumplestiltskin. The walk from my… the forest was so long for me," she said with a wide smile and held his finger to her. She hugged it tightly and patted it. "I'll be home pretty late, I hope you don't mind."

He was quiet for a moment before giving her a nod and leaving without a word. Lina frowned but pushed it out of her mind as she walked to Jacob's side of the counter and pulled on her apron. She felt someone watching her and glanced up at her coworker.

"What?"

Jacob shook his head and passed a beer to one of the usual customers. In fact, everyone was usual customers – it was a small village. He rubbed his nose for a moment and looked back at her. "Home? You live with the cripple now?" he asked, his voice sour with anger. She winced and moved toward the beer barrel.

"He asked me to stay. We get along. Is there a problem?" she asked, filling a mug slowly. Jacob didn't answer her for a moment and she nearly forgot he was there. When he pushed her lightly away from the mug, she huffed. "Hey! Just because I'm little –"

"His wife left him because he's a coward, Lina. I would have thought you'd be smarter than to get mixed up with him. He's a coward and I can only hope his son dies with honor in war."

Lina felt her heart drop and a scoff left her lips. Ripping her apron away from her waist, she moved toward her little ramp to get off of the bar. "I can't believe you," she hissed as a few of the patrons began to complain that the small woman was leaving them. She ignored them and started for the crack in the wall that she normally used to leave the tavern. She was nearly there when a large black boot stopped her. "Move, Jacob."

"You can't leave. I employed you because I felt bad that your mother passed away. You're gonna leave for a cripple?" he demanded, keeping the hole blocked. She sent him a glare when she heard a deep voice calling for Jacob down the bar.

"Hey! I needs me some ale, pretty boy!" the man said, a voice that she'd never heard before. She was still locked in a glare with Jacob, daring him to say anything else to her. "Preeeeetty booooy. I needs some'a the good stuff!"

Lina won the stare down as Jacob growled low in his throat and moved away from her. When she looked back, she saw a raggedy looking man in a dark cloak grinning at her. She waved lightly, silently thanking him, and ran out of the hole in the wall.

The night was quiet again outside of Lina's breathing. She ran from the tavern, life suddenly renewed, and felt her mood lighten. She was free of the commitment of the tavern and though she knew it would be a mistake later, she just wanted to get home. Home to a new family. The hill wasn't even a problem for her this time and when she made it to the door, she was greeted with Rumple's sheep.

"Hello," she whispered to the animal, rubbing its hoof. She could hear movement beside the house but didn't move. She somehow knew it would be the spinner. When he rounded the corner, Lina had managed to climb up the side of the sheep to sit on its head. The man hadn't noticed her yet, and she watched him bemused. "What are you doing, Rumple?" she asked, biting her lip when she saw the man jump and hold up his walking stick as a weapon. "It's just me."

"Mah wee lass. What are you doing here? You should be at work," he said sternly, his shock turning to confusion. He rubbed the sheep's head and held his hand out for her. "Lina?"

She sat in his hand and rubbed her neck. "Jacob… Said a lot of things. I couldn't listen to him anymore. What are you doing?" she asked, glancing at the bag he had beside the door. "Are you going somewhere?"

Her friend nodded and sighed. "I was going to pick you up from work when you were through. We're leaving. I can't lose mah son," he whispered, fat tears glistening in his eyes. "He's my only family. I can't let him go." The whimper in Rumplestiltskin's voice hurt Lina's heart and she nodded in agreement. They couldn't lose each other. She just wished she was able to help more than simply being there. "We're leaving tonight."

An hour later saw Lina sitting on Rumple's shoulder as he rubbed Baelfire's shoulder in the darkness under the trees. Baelfire was wiping the sleep out of his eyes, but he couldn't help the frown on his own face. Rumple had his own smile but kept it to himself. Lina was dozing lightly against his neck.

"It feels wrong to run away," Baelfire said, waking Lina from her light sleep. She groaned in Rumplestiltskin's ear and she could feel the man shiver. She looked around the man's face and sent a sleepy wave to the boy. He didn't seem to notice.

"It's worse to die, son. I won't have you taken away to that hopeless war," Rumplestiltskin said, wrapping an arm loosely around Baelfire's shoulders. Lina didn't feel as hopeful as the man felt but tried to keep the moral up.

"He's right, Baelfire. The wars have brought nothing but death and famine to us. The duke doesn't care about us," she whispered as she crossed to Rumple's right shoulder in order to join in the conversation. "Just trust your papa."

A small smile lit up Baelfire's face then and the trio were silent. They walked into the trees of what used to be Lina's forest and were almost immediately accosted by a beggar. There weren't many in the area, so Lina was confused. Rumplestiltskin didn't seem to think anything of it.

"Coin for the poor?" the beggar asked, making them stop. Lina hid around Rumplestiltskin's ear and watched him hand the strange old man some money. "Oh thank you. Thank you." That voice seemed familiar though and Lina wasn't sure she knew where it was from. As Rumple and Baelfire started to walk away, Lina realized it was the same man that distracted Jacob from the tavern. She stuck her head out from long hay colored hair hanging on Rumple's back and locked eyes with the beggar. All he did was smile and give her a little wave before he was shrouded in darkness.

"Are we sure there's no other way?"

"I can't lose ya, Bae. You're all I got left, son. You don't understand what war's like. What it'll do to ya," Rumplestiltskin said making Lina turn back to the conversation at hand. Baelfire still wasn't okay with the decision to run and she silently commended him. He was a tough little boy.

"What about Lina? Isn't she part of this family now?" Baelfire asked, his head down. She blinked owlishly at the pair, not even thinking about her being a part of their family. She was, in her mind, a tag along.

Rumplestiltskin never got a chance to respond before the sound of horses on the path distracted them. Lina held onto her ride's ear as he ducked down and glanced over his shoulder. She was too afraid to look. "Hide! In the ditch, hide!" He huffed, pushing Baelfire away. The motion jostled Lina and she fell off his shoulder into the dirt.

Holding her aching shoulders and arm, Lina tried to run into the grass before a deep voice barked out at them. "Stop right there!" The horse belonging to the man rode up and stopped a little too close to where Lina froze. She hid her head, afraid of the impending impact, when she felt hands cup and lift her from the ground. "What are you doing on the King's road?"

Quivering in his hands, Lina looked up at Rumplestiltskin. "We have some wool that we're going to sell at the fair in Long-"

"I know you, don't I?" the man said, interrupting him and climbing down from his horse. Lina knew who he was now, seeing his face looming in the dark. Hordor. One of the soldiers that took children away to fight in the war. Lina had never seen the man up close and hoped to the gods that he didn't do something to her boys. "What was your name? Hm? Spindleshanks? Threadwhistle? Ah. Hobblefoot."

"His name is Rumplestiltskin," Lina said but didn't realize she wasn't alone until Hordor turned to look at Baelfire.

"Watch your mouth, boy!"

Hordor's face lit up and he snapped his fingers, turning back to the older man. "Ah. Rumplestiltskin. The man who ran," he hissed before turning to look back at Baelfire. "This your boy? What's your name?"

Lina winced and held her hand out to the boy. "Don't!"

Baelfire glanced at her, as did Hordor, but he puffed up his chest anyway. "I'm Baelfire. I'm thirteen."

Still looking at Lina, the soldier continued to speak to the boy. "When's your birthday?"

"Three days time."

Lina looked up at Rumple and saw the dread in his face. "Hush, boy!" she spat at his son and saw the fear shining back at her. Hordor simply grinned at her.

"Did you teach him to run as well, Rumplestiltskin?" he asked, his eyes locking on the spinner. "Did he tell you? Did he tell you how he ran? And the ogres turned the tide of the battle… and all the others were killed? And he returned home to a wife that could not bare the sight of him?"

"Leave him alone!" Lina screamed, standing in Rumplestiltskin's palms. She had had enough of his taunts. She even heard the man above her whimper for him to stop.

"You see, women don't like being married to cowards." He was looking right at her, his grin getting wider. "Maybe you should know that, too, little woman. You want to be crushed by a cripple someday? Someday he'll try to fuck you and end up taking your little life as he falls from an injury he gave himself to run." Lina's eyes watered at his words, but she kept her glare fixated on him.

Rumplestiltskin was shaking under her hand and she could feel his fingers start to wrap around her. "Don't. Please don't talk to my boy like that," he whispered, his voice trembling to match his frame. "Or the lass."

Hordor shrugged and waved to his men. "It's treason to avoid service. Take the boy."

"No!" Lina screamed again, brandishing the needle she used as a knife. She didn't even think about the size difference as she tried to get out of Rumplestiltskin's hands to get to Baelfire. She was annoyed that Rumplestiltskin wouldn't do anything, but her need to keep the man sane was even more important. "Keep your damn hands off him!"

"No! No! What do you want?" Rumple asked, finally speaking up. She saw that they stopped trying to make their way to Baelfire, but she was still waiting to jump on their shoulders and stab them in the eye.

Though the soldier glanced at her in the man's hand, he smiled at Rumplestiltskin. "What do I want? You have no influence, no land, no title, no power. The truth is, all you have is fealty," he said, his smile ever present. It was starting to get on Lina's nerves. The soldier took half a step forward and looked him in the eye. "Kiss my boot."

"I don't understand."

"You asked my price. Kiss my boot."

"Not in front of my boy," he whimpered, clutching Lina tighter as she struggled to get away. She was disgusted and really wanted to do something about it.

"Kiss my boot!" The yell was enough for Rumple to drop to his knees and shove Lina away from him. She huffed and looked up at Baelfire, who looked just as disgusted as she did. She was up quickly but Rumplestiltskin had already done as demanded and was kicked in the side for it. Hordor was laughing as he got back on his horse.

"You bleeding bastard! Don't fall asleep or I'll stab those damn eyes out of your skull!" Lina yelled at his retreating form.

"And you. Helping is punished by hanging. Maybe I can hang you from my boot laces while your cripple watches," he added before the group of them disappeared into the darkness. Lina felt no fear and tried to run after them.

"Now, now. No need, little miss," a voice said before she was scooped into a pair of caloused hands. She fought at the fingers before she was close to the owner's face. Seeing the beggar again, she stopped fighting. "There's a good girl. Let's help your family, aye?" She huffed and when he placed her on his shoulder, she could only hang on to his cloak. As the man was helping Rumple, she winced at the sight of his fear. "No, no. It's okay. Let me help you. I'll help you home," he whispered.

Baelfire joined them and Lina sighed, thankful he was still there. "Baelfire…"

"Thank you, old man."

Once he was to his feet, Rumple rubbed his side. "I don't have any money to pay you."

"I can think of another way. You just leave me whatever you can spare and I will be your benefactor. Come, come," the beggar said, helping Rumplestiltskin hold onto his walking stick. Lina was just happy that nothing bad had happened, even though they were going backed to that damned village.

"Where's Lina?" she heard, looking around the beggar's nose to see a frantic look in Rumplestiltskin's eyes. "She fell. I didn't – Lina? Lina!" The man started to turn back to where they were, looking for a little body that wasn't there.

"She's here. She's safe," the beggar said, pulling Rumplestiltskin back to his side. Without warning, he grabbed Lina and gracelessly plopped her into the spinner's hands. "See? She tried to go after Hordor and his men. Threatened to cut out their eyes in their sleep."

Rumplestiltskin huffed and held her close to him in relief. She heard Baelfire laugh but she was far from excited at the moment. It didn't help that her shoulders were starting to ache again. "Mah wee lass. Don't try to fight someone like him."

"He was going to take your son. I'm small, but that doesn't mean I can't fight," she said in a low voice but she was distracted by Rumplestiltskin smiling at her. "Don't look at me like that."

"A wee fighter. Thank you, Lina, for trying to help me save mah boy." Lina's heart throbbed then when the man moved her close to him and gave her a small peck on the top of her head.


	6. Chapter 6

The house was quiet that night when the trio returned with the beggar. Rumplestiltskin had agreed to give the man a place to sleep, to start, as compensation for his assistance. Lina was wide awake at this point and wordlessly began to cut up some of the few vegetables they had in order to make a watered-down soup. Rumplestiltskin tucked Baelfire into bed and collapsed at the table with her and the beggar.

"Another day gone… There will be no fleeing now," he whispered, making Lina pause in her work. Looking up at him, he looked broken, his face weary. She bit her lip before moving back to chopping, her long dark hair covering her face.

The beggar rustled a bit behind her, seeming to move closer to Rumplestiltskin. "No. You need to find another way," he whispered back, his voice slightly patronizing.

Glancing at the two over her shoulder, Lina started to push the vegetables into the pot of water. She didn't want to interrupt them, as the beggar man seemed to have an idea, but the food needed to cook. "Rumple," she called to him, making him spin to face her. His smile was small, but he limped to her and turned the pot onto the fire.

"Thank ya, love," he cooed at her before holding his hand out to her. She took her place in his palm and he moved them back to his spot by the beggar. Getting comfortable in his hand, Lina noticed the strange man was watching them with a grin and she became instantly uncomfortable.

"You need to choose a different path," he added, turning his eyes from Lina to Rumplestiltskin.

"Choose? What choice do I have? Do we have?"

"Everyone has a choice."

Rumple gave a slight huff of a laugh, his fingers running over Lina's hair. "I'm the town coward. My only choice is which corner to hide in," he said. His eyes started to mist over and his mouth turned into the frown of someone broken. She started to hold onto his fingers in support, regardless of the self-deprecation he seemed to start to fall into. "I'm lame. I'm friendless… Nearly so. All I got left is mah boy. And they're going to take him away from me. From us." Lina was stunned that he included her with him now, even if he had to retrace his words to do it. "If they take him away, I'll truly… truly become ash."

Lina wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged Rumplestiltskin's fingers to her. He lifted his hand moved her close to his cheek so that they were skin to skin. Lina didn't even think about the display of affection and wrapped her little arms around his face.

"Not if you have power," the low voice said to them, making Lina look at the beggar through her tears. She didn't know where he as going with this, but the last thing either of them had was power. He was injured, she was small, Baelfire was a child. There was nothing to be done.

Apparently, Rumplestiltskin felt the same way. "Might as well say diamonds."

The beggar scooted closer and grabbed one of Rumple's arms. "Get ahold of yourself! Both of you!" he hissed, spittle flying from his mouth. The blaze in the old man's eyes caused a chill to run through Lina and she moved to climb into Rumplestiltskin's hair. "Think! Why do you think someone as powerful as the Dark One would work for a useless fool like the Duke of the Front Lands?"

"Pleasure of seeing us in pain," Lina scoffed but Rumple hushed her.

"Tell me." Now Lina really didn't like where this conversation was going.

The beggar was grinning now. "The Duke has the Dark One enthralled. He's enslaved him with the power of a mystical dagger… and on the blade is written a name. The true name of the Dark One. If you were steal the dagger, then you control the Dark One yourself. And then no one would be able to take your son away from you. And your little woman wouldn't remain little."

Well, that was something new. But Rumplestiltskin looked sick. "To keep a man like the Dark One a slave? No. I can't. I'd be terrified."

"Then perhaps… instead of controlling the power, you need to take it."

The confusion washed over Rumple but Lina knew exactly what he was talking about. "You want him to kill the Dark One?" she whispered.

After she asked, the old man gave a wheezing laugh and patted Rumplestiltskin's knee. "Your lass is a smart one. Tell me how you came by her," he demanded, talking like Lina was an object rather than a person.

"We're friends," she shot back, her temper starting the rise again. The man wanted Rumple to kill and now acted as if she was nothing more than a trinket. "What does it matter to you?"

"Lina."

"You're Thumbelina, I presume. Daughter to one Margarette of Hannish. Aye, I knew the lass. Very pretty in her youth, but nothing like you, dear." The beggar grinned again and Lina felt very uncomfortable. "You know, I gave her that barleycorn."

Lina's eyes narrowed and Rumplestiltskin looked even more confused at her. She jumped from his shoulder and into his hand again before pointing at the beggar. "You lie! A woman gave my mother that seed!"

"Maybe that's what she told you. But I loved your mother and I knew she wanted a child. That was something I couldn't give her. So, I sought out a faerie for help. She gave me the barleycorn to give to your mother. Or… should I say, your adoptive mother. I suppose that makes me your adoptive father," the man said.

Lina was silent. She remembered waking up in that flower and seeing her mother, but the man wasn't there. He couldn't have been – she would have noticed him. But it was so long ago, she couldn't be sure. "But you weren't there. I never saw you before."

Rumplestiltskin pulled Lina close to him again and cupped her protectively. "A faerie? Does that mean Lina really is… a faerie?"

"I never got to see your flower bloom, as I was called elsewhere. I wasn't able to return until well after your mother passed. And yes, that makes her a faeling, as she was born of a fae seed."

The tears fell from Lina's face and she huddled up in her friend's hands, hoping to move away from the stories that the man was telling them. What else had her mother neglected to tell her? Did she have power? Did she actually belong with Cornelius? And where were her wings?

"If she's fae, where are her wings?" Rumple asked, his voice low but understanding. He didn't seem all that concerned that Lina never told him anything about this. He must have understood what a shock it was for her.

"Those born of the fae seed don't have wings. They can grow them, but under specific circumstances. They aren't perceived as faeries until they grow them. For now, she's simply a faeling. And don't ask me how she'd get them. I didn't ask." The beggar was quiet a moment and stared at the two of them. Lina was shivering and Rumple felt the same. "I think it's time to rest now. I thank you for allowing me the use of your small barn," he said before he stood up as far as his crooked back would allow and let himself out of the house.

The only sound in the house then was the soft snores coming from Baelfire and the crackling of the fire. It occurred to Lina then that the soup had been boiling all this time and was somehow forgotten. "R-Rumple… The soup."

Rumplestiltskin said nothing as he turned the hook and the pot was no longer over the fire. He remained quiet and held Lina close to him. She started to get used to the silence when she jumped at the sound of his voice. "You're a faerie, mah wee lass. A faerie. And you had no idea," he whispered and propped his elbows on the table to look at her. She was a teary mess, but his watery smile brightened her a bit. "Love, we need to get you your wings."

"No. Not while we're faced with Baelfire's problem," she whispered back, resting her now throbbing head on his fingers. "The old man is crazy."

"Is he?"

"Yes! He wants you to kill the Dark One? To steal the power he has? You've seen his power, Rumple. How can you kill that?"

"Can you imagine me with those powers?" he asked quietly, his teeth clenching behind his chapped lips. "I could save Bae. And the other children. And you'd… I could give you your wings or make you bigger or anything else you wanted, Lina. We wouldn't have to eat half raw vegetables in boiled water. We wouldn't have to live in such a small hovel. We could be happy."

"I was already happy," she responded and moved to jump down from his hands. Rumplestiltskin didn't stop her and she crossed the table to get down. As she made her way to the bowl that was her bed, she stopped to turn to him. "Just… think about what could happen, dearie."

The man nodded by the fire and filled a bowl with the soup. "Goodnight, lass," he said quietly before going out the door. Lina watched the emptiness of the house for a moment longer before she was climbing up to her bed. She was curled up at the bottom and within seconds, she fell asleep.

* * *

The following morning was peaceful for Lina before the memories from the night before flooded back. The sneering face of Hordor flitted behind her eyelids and she could hear Rumplestiltskin screaming her name. It was too much to take after knowing the tiny family for such a short time. But in her heart, Lina knew that whatever they had to go through was now something she would be included in. She was now a part of that family and she wanted to help with all that she could. If not for her own sake, but to keep Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire from potential death. She couldn't even think about losing them now.

Moving from her bowl bed, she noticed that Baelfire wasn't asleep anymore and Rumple was nowhere to be seen. The fire was out in the hearth and there was no smell other than the stale stench of rot that slowly permeated from the damp earth outside. It was silent.

Lina jumped from the table that held her bed and moved toward the door. She hadn't noticed before, but there was a small crack in the wall near it, much like the one at the tavern. The tavern… She had effectively quit her job there and was no longer going to be bringing in money to the house. Rumplestiltskin spun the wool of their lone sheep into yarn and thread but the profit he saw from it was meager. And Baelfire wasn't old enough to do anything quite yet. It was up to Lina to do something.

Outside of the house, the morning dew remained on the stalks of grass, giving Lina something to wash herself with. She threaded her fingers through her hair and tried to rub the dirt from it. If she was to find a job, she needed to at least look like she wasn't a walking disease. She scrubbed at the dust on her favorite dress, realizing then that the dark red-brown material was fading and threadbare. She never noticed these things in her home in the tree. Ignorance was bliss, it seemed.

Viewing herself in a discarded piece of broken glass, Lina was confident in her appearance. She looked well enough that someone would take her seriously. She just wasn't sure who would. Taking a deep breath, Lina started the journey to the center of the village hoping to find a job somewhere.

The first few places that she looked were a bust. Those places being a small grocer, a fisherman, a farmer, and the butcher. All of them said that it wasn't woman's work and it was even less so that of a small woman. Lina didn't mind, however, and continued on her way with a thanks and a growing ferocity. She'd find a job by the end of the day if it killed her.

Walking into the small brick stone bakery, she walked up the ramp that the woman installed especially for her. The baker's husband was one of her favorite patrons at the tavern, even though he came in once a week and drank only one small ale. He also tipped well. She repaid them by buying small sweets.

"Ah, Lina my dear. How fares ye?" the woman, Lilla, said as she brushed the flour off of her hands. Lina grinned at her and waved.

"I'm alright, dearie. I was wondering if you needed a small set of hands here," she said, crossing her fingers behind her skirts.

"Here? I thought ye be workin' at the pub! Did something happen?" Lilla asked, resting her cheek on her palm. "Don' ye be tellin' me someone did somethin'."

The smaller woman smiled slightly and shook her head. "It was nothing major. You see…," she started but stopped herself. What would her sort of friend think about her moving in with Rumplestiltskin? He wasn't well liked, that much was certain, but she wasn't sure how far that dislike went.

"Yes? Ye can't leave me hanging in suspense," Lilla said with a laugh, her cheeks getting rosy. The woman reminded Lina very much of her own mother and knew then that she wouldn't hold anything against her.

"I um… I recently moved from my home and began staying with someone. He-"

"A man! I didn't know ye were that well acquainted with any man outside of Jacob and Herald!" Lilla interrupted, her mouth stretching into a smile. "Now now, who's the lucky gent?"

Lina bit her lip and wrung her hands a bit. "No. It's nothing like that. We're just friends right now. I mean… We're just friends, Lilla. There's nothing to get carried away with."

But Lilla had noticed her slip up and kept the grin on her face. She didn't need to say anything for Lina to groan to herself. "Alright then. Who is this 'friend' ye've decided to live with, then? Is it Jacob?" she asked, her eyebrow raised slightly.

"No! He is foul. I left my job at the tavern because he said some nasty things about Rumplestiltskin. I was disgusted. I couldn't stay there with someone like that as my boss."

The surprise on Lilla's face made Lina hold back a laugh. "Ye be too sweet for yer own good. But what does the spinner have to do with it? Did he do something?"

"Um… Well… Rumplestiltskin came into the tavern a few weeks back, just after Milah left. He drank and I talked to him a bit. I didn't see him until a few days ago and we started talking. He's really sweet once you get to know him, Lilla!" Lina said, trying to defend herself from the look growing on her friend's face. The look of realization and slight disgust. "He asked me to stay and uh… I agreed. I couldn't leave him along when they are going to take his son," she added in a whisper.

Lilla sighed above her and threw a flour dusted rag over Lina's head. "Alright, alright. Get ta work then, my dear." She didn't sound happy, but she didn't sound upset about her statement either.

"What? Just like that?" Lina asked, realizing afterward that she should have just shut up and accepted the job that Lilla was giving her. "I mean –"

"The spinner is a coward, Lina. But I have no right to get into yer business if you're that smitten with the man. I'm sure he's as sweet as sugar with ye, even if I don' like it a bit."

"I'm not smitten."

Lilla rolled her eyes and sent Lina a grin before holding her hand out for her. "Yer willin' to leave yer job because of someone talking badly of him and then willin' to get a new one to help him. That's smitten." When Lina groaned at her answer, Lilla only laughed.

The sun was setting when Lina started to wipe the flour off her hands. She helped Lilla bake and was actually very good and slicing up the bread and small sweets. With Lilla's shaky hands, she had a few issues with cutting straight and Lina was just the right person for it. Lilla was stocking out the remaining breads for the morning market when a scratchy pair of footsteps neared them.

"Lass, is it time to go?" a soft voice asked, making Lina look up. There in the fading light was none other than Rumplestiltskin, a small smile playing on his lips. She didn't know how happy she was to see him until he laughed and held his hand to her. "I see you missed me."

"She's a good set of hands, spinner. Don't ye be hurtin' her," Lilla said, shaking her finger at him. She didn't seem angry at all but the underlying meaning made Lina flush in embarrassment.

"Now why would I do something like that? Mah wee lass has been very good to me and I hope to repay her in kind," Rumple said with a smile and the two of them started to totter off. "So, you found a new job?"

"Yes. How did you now I'd be there?" Lina asked, looking at his face. He didn't seem so weary this evening, maybe even a bit excited. But Lina preferred it that way.

"Baelfire. He was helping me with something and when I asked him to fetch some rope, he came back saying you were helping the baker. I can't tell you how happy I was to know that you were doing something after leaving the tavern. Why did you leave, anyway?"

Lina shrugged and absently rubbed her shoulders. She winced and rubbed a small bump that felt like it was growing there. Rumplestiltskin must have noticed because he frowned. "Don't worry about it. I just couldn't be there anymore."

"Are your shoulders bothering you again? Was it because of your tumble last evening?" he asked, his eyes serious now. She wasn't sure what was causing his emotions to run so rampant – he knew his son would be leaving for a while now. He couldn't blame it on that.

"I don't know. It feels like a bone is pressing into my skin," she said and moved her hands away. The ache was enough to handle without her pressing on them. "I can handle it."

"I'd like to take a look at them, lass. I don't want your shoulders to be broken from the fall." Lina agreed to his statement but the embarrassment of Rumplestiltskin seeing her bare back would be enough to kill her. But what if something was broken and she had an infection? "I'd also like to talk with you before dinner."

"About what?"

"About the Dark One."


	7. Chapter 7

Man, you might wanna buckle up. Be warned. And thank you to everyone that has followed/favorited myself and this story. You're all golden, darlings! Your reviews are a nice treat for me!

* * *

Rumplestiltskin's rough fingers were rubbing along Lina's bare shoulders as her hair covered her. She felt herself flush deeply and was very thankful that her friend couldn't see her face. She groaned at the feeling of him slightly massaging her and she heard him chuckle. "Don't laugh…"

"I didn't realize how tender your shoulders were. You're carrying the stress too much, lass. You need to relax a bit more," he said quietly, rubbing down her spine.

"I can't do that. Can you?" she asked and looked at him over her shoulder. He was quiet and she shrugged. "So? How does it look?"

Rumplestiltskin shook out of his thoughts and sighed. He ran his fingers over her shoulders and shook his head. "There's something protruding from your shoulders. Both sides. I don't think it's bone. They're blue."

"Blue? The bumps are blue?" she asked, trying to look at them. She forgot her state of undress for a moment and tried to move her shoulders to look. She didn't realize her mistake until she saw that Rumple turned red and looked away. "Oh gods. I'm sorry!" she cried and covered herself again. She hit her head with her fist. "Stupid. Stupid."

"Lass… Lina. Do you think they're your wings?" Rumple asked in a whisper, making her tense. She pulled her shirt back up and tied the front before turning to look at him. His face was still red, but he was looking at her again. "Do you think they're growing?"

Lina's mouth opened to respond when Baelfire ran into the house. "Papa! Lina! Are you ready?"

She was confused and turned to look back up at Rumplestiltskin. "Ready for what?" she asked, seeing the color drain from his face. "What's going on?"

Rumplestiltskin rubbed his head a moment and gave a mirthless laugh. "I wanted to discuss this with you before dinner, lass. Between us. But… Look, I need that dagger."

"No, you do not!"

"I need that dagger to save us. We are gonna save Bae and I'm gonna make you bigger and we're gonna get food. No one will hurt us any-"

"You don't need a dagger to do that! You don't need to get yourself mixed up with the Dark One! We can leave! We can leave through a different way!" Lina cried, stamping her foot on the table she sat on.

"No!" Rumplestiltskin yelled back, slamming his hand down near her. "I will not run again! I will no longer be a coward! I'm gonna protect mah family and I will do what I have to to do it! Alright?!" His brogue came out in full force and Lina was shocked. He wasn't one to yell but deep down, she was a little impressed. "What are you laughing for?" he demanded, making Lina realize that she was smiling slightly. She frowned at him and shook her head. "Are you laughing at me? You don't think I can do it?"

"Papa! She's not laughing!"

Rumplestiltskin growled at his son and the boy quieted down. Lina stood up straight and looked him in the eye. "I'm not laughing at you, dearie. I'm impressed." He stopped raging at her suddenly, his face clouded in confusion. "You're a strong man, Rumple. I don't agree with what you're doing, but if you think you can do this, then I support you."

Rumplestiltskin grabbed Lina, making her cry out in surprise, and brought her to his face. He stared at her for a moment, making her very uncomfortable. Just when she was going to ask what he was doing, he pulled her hand to him and kissed her tiny fingers. "I'll save our family."

The trio was quiet outside of the Duke's castle, Baelfire handing Rumplestiltskin the torch they brought. Lina was sitting on the boy's shoulder, rubbing the cold from her arms. She glanced up at the castle. The end of their suffering was in there. Or it was the final resting place for her friend. "Rumple…"

"Trust me, Lina. It'll be okay. You stay here with Bae and I'll be back." He said as he lit the hay beside them. The fire climbed up the wall almost instantly and trailed inside. She shook her head as he lit some of the wool he had with him and gripped Baelfire's ear.

"Ow. Lina."

"I'm sorry, Baelfire. Rumple, promise you'll be back, okay? Promise you'll be back with the dagger," she called to him as he started for the door to the castle. He looked up at the flames and nodded.

"I promise, Lina. I promise. I do," he said quickly before he disappeared into the fire.

Baelfire left the castle and the two of them sought out the darkness of the trees. She wondered vaguely why it was so quiet. Why wasn't anyone trying to stop the fire? How was Rumple getting in there without anyone stopping him? Lina was too focused on the burning building that she didn't notice that Baelfire was going deeper into the forest. She was pulled away from her thoughts when she could no longer see the fire between the trees.

"He said to meet him by the creek. To get as far away as possible. Ya know, in case soldiers show up?" Baelfire said quietly and sat underneath a tree. The leaves were already turning red, making Lina sigh. "Are you worried about him?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, picking at her fingernails.

"Do you love Papa?"

Lina choked on her breath a moment and coughed into her skirts. She pushed on Baelfire's cheek and huffed. "You can't be in love with someone you just met."

Baelfire laughed and nodded to her. "Yes you can. It's called 'love at first sight.' Besides, you've been living in the village for as long as I can remember. Now that I think about it, how old are you?"

"You don't ask a woman her age! You need someone to teach you manners," she snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Why are you being so nosey?"

"Papa likes you. And when you're not looking, he's staring at you. After the night you met him at the pub, he talked about how there was a woman working there that lightened his spirits. He hasn't been the same since my mother ran away with… Well, you know. But you make him seem like himself again," Baelfire said, crunching leaves between his fingers. "And if he doesn't get the dagger… If I have to go to war, I'd like someone that loves him to take care of him for me."

Lina stayed quiet, thinking about how selfless the boy really was. He just wanted the best for his father after his mother betrayed him. The boy would do anything for his father and she was so happy that they had each other. "He will succeed, Baelfire. Your papa will give us a different life. You're a selfless boy, just like him."

Baelfire smiled in the dark and she rested her head against his. "You can call me Bae. You know… if you want to," he whispered, making her smile.

"Alright, Bae."

The two were quiet once more, each thinking to themselves but both anxious about the return of Rumplestiltskin. They knew it might take a while to find the dagger and subsequently seeking them out in the forest. They just hoped that it didn't cost the man his life.

It seemed like hours before they heard the crunching of leaves under feet and Baelfire jumped up. Lina held onto his ear and tried to listen for who might be arriving. The boy was hiding so that he could run if necessary. The figure was coming out from behind the trees and they held their breath. Seconds passed before they released it – Rumple had returned to them.

"Papa! I was so worried for you. Are you burned? The castle…"

"Rumple!"

"I'm fine, son," Rumple said, looking between his son and the tiny woman on his shoulder. "I'm fine. I need you both to go home. Wait for me there."

Baelfire grabbed his father's hand and looked at him wildly. "Please. I have a bad feeling."

"This is something I have to do on my own. Go home, son. Go home and wait for me Bae. I'll be back. You go," he said, pushing on Baelfire's free shoulder. "Lina. Watch over mah son, lass. I'll be back for you both as soon as I can."

"Promise me, Rumple. You made it past the fire. Now promise this," she insisted as Baelfire started to turn away. "Promise!"

"I do, lass. I do." As Baelfire started to run, Lina looked back and the sad smile on Rumplestiltskin's face. Before he disappeared completely, she saw him take the dagger out of his cloak and a dark shape appeared behind him.

"The Dark One," she whispered and turned away, willing Baelfire to run faster. And without a word between them, the boy did. He jumped over the small creek that bisected the forest and darted for their home on the hill. Lina had to admit that he really was a very fast boy. If Rumplestiltskin didn't have a limp, they probably could have outrun Hordor's horses.

The village was quiet when they reached their home again. The communal torches were out and the small guard they had were already nodding off at their posts. Though she was used to being up late at night when others were not, Lina realized then how exhausted she was. It had to have been the stress of the possibility of losing her friend.

When the two of them entered the house, Baelfire sighed and sat at the table. Lina jumped off of his shoulder and sat by his hands. "Bae, I think you should get to bed. I'll stay up and wait for your papa."

"I'm so worried. He got the dagger, right? Is he summoning the Dark One?" he asked, his eyes watery.

"I don't know. We'll see what the morning brings, huh?" she asked, patting his fingers. When he nodded, he stood and started for the bed. "Goodnight, Baelfire."

"Goodnight, Moth…Lina," he said quietly, lying on the bed and turning away. It didn't take long before his breathing evened out and his snores were all she could hear.

Lina decide to lie down on the tabletop and look at the flames in the hearth. There was a lot to think about that the boy made her question. Now that Rumplestiltskin had the dagger, what would happen? Would he trap the Dark One like the Duke did? Or would he try to make the power his own? And what would happen if he did get that power? Would he still be the same soft-spoken man she cared about? And as for caring about him, did she feel more than friendly feelings toward him, like Baelfire said? Lina didn't even know where to start answering her questions. She figured that the main question right now was would Hordor appear for Baelfire's birthday?

Lina didn't realize that she nodded off until the harsh sound of the front door being kicked in startled her awake. She saw the sun glaring in through the door, but her eyes were so blurry that she only saw dark shapes intruding on their peace. She heard the shouts of Baelfire by the bed, having been woken up by a steel grip. She herself screamed when she was grabbed by a leather clad hand.

"I don't see the cripple. Did he run away again? Did he leave you both here for me as an offering?" a low growling voice said to Lina before a face came into view. She felt the hand tighten as she looked into the grinning face of Hordor. She winced at the pain in her shoulders and struggled half-heartedly. She couldn't get out of this.

"Let her go! Leave her out of this!" Baelfire said somewhere in the house, but his voice grew distant as he was pulled away. "Lina!"

Hordor stood in the empty house with the small woman clenched in his fist, slowly applying pressure. Soon enough, it started becoming harder for her to breathe. "I almost feel sorry for you, Thumbelina," he spat, venom dripping from her name. "Oh, yeah, I know who you are. You were misled by the cripple and now you're abandoned by him. That makes you a fool."

"Fuck off, dearie," Lina said before releasing the air left in her lungs as Hordor squeezed.

"If you were my size, I'd find some use for that dirty mouth of yours. As it is, I'll just have to figure something else out. If I find that gimp of yours, maybe I'll crush you in front of him. Let 'im see what he's done," the man replied before shoving her into a small bag at his hip and tying it up.

The smell of leather and body odor was the first breath Lina was able to have and she felt her stomach twist. She could see some light from the top of the bag, but not much else. She bounced around, knowing they were moving. At least she could hear Baelfire getting closer and knew he was alright for the most part.

"Where is she?" the boy demanded, making her smile sadly. Neither of them could do anything now. "What did you do to her?"

"Shut up, boy. I got her safe and sound. For now," Hordor responded and she felt his hand come into contact with the bag she was in. She heard more shuffling around and she wished that her voice would be able to penetrate the bag. "Everyone's watching from behind their curtains today."

It was then that Lina heard the unmistakable sound of metal piercing leather. She screamed in the bag and heard a body hit the hay covered ground. "Baelfire!" She heard nothing but the soft crinkling of hay as someone approached them and then Hordor fell. Her stomach churned and she felt her dinner from the night before come up. She spit the sour taste out of her mouth and whimpered. Where was Bae? Was he okay?

"Dark One," she heard Hordor whisper, making her heart jump. The Dark One? If he was here, Rumple must be around somewhere, too! Lina really hoped that he was. If the Dark One had killed him, she didn't know what she'd do. "No. Who are you?"

The man's question caught her attention and Lina held her breath. She wanted to know what was going on, but she was trapped in a bag covered in her own vomit. So she waited for any sound that might help her understand.

"Have you forgotten me already?" the smooth hiss a voice said, making Lina's heart speed up. It sounded so peculiar but so familiar. "What is it you used to call me again? Spindleshanks?" the voice asked before a snap was heard. "Hobblefoot."

"Papa?" A weight was off of Lina's shoulders, knowing Baelfire was alright. But that meant that the voice was the one she had wished for.

"Rumplestiltskin," she called from the bag, hearing Hordor say the same. He was here! He was with them again. But why did he mistake the spinner for the Dark One?

"Wonderful. And you shall know me as the new Dark One." She felt tears run down her face at the thought of Rumplestiltskin being the new Dark One. What had he done to gain that power? Had he really killed the previous one? "How about a little fealty? Kiss. My. Boot."

There was silence, but Lina felt the bag tip a bit. Was Hordor following directions? She waited quietly before a loud cracking sound made her jump and she started to fall again. This time, a heavy weight landed on her and she struggled to breathe again. Her legs were pinned and she realized then that Hordor had fallen on her and was now dead. "Help… Help!" she tried to cry out, her heart racing and her hips and legs starting to go numb.

As she struggled, Lina started to cry, wishing she'd told Rumplestiltskin how she was feeling about living with him and Baelfire. She loved being with them, but now she was being squished to death by the cooling corpse of their family offender. A sob choked out of her mouth as she felt a rush of liquid flood past her lips. In the darkness, she didn't even though what it was.

She heard yelling once she stopped struggling and collapsed under her weakening arms. She was getting dizzy, the pain slowly climbing up her back. Blinking took a toll and her breathing started to shallow. There was no flashes of her life from before now, there was no bemoaning the coming of darkness.

"I'm not… I'm protecting what belongs to me. And I'm not scared of anything," the hissing voice said before laughing. The sound was dull in Lina's ears, as was the crunch of footsteps. "Where's Lina?"

"She's… Hordor put her in a bag. On his hip," the boy said, but Lina couldn't put the voice to the face. She was forgetting who was there.

Suddenly, the weight on her legs and lower back was gone and the darkness was receding. She barely felt her body being lifted and a large pair of hazel eyes looking down at her. She blinked once before her head fell and darkness overcame her vision. Before she completely left the waking world, she could have sworn she heard a sob whispering her name.


	8. Chapter 8

The voices came to her before she realized she was awake. She couldn't move any part of her body and her throat was clenched so hard, it made it impossible to speak. So, she remained quiet and immobile, trying to understand why and how she was alive. If she was alive.

"I've healed her legs and ribs. Her pelvis will take a bit longer to stitch back together," a weak voice said close to her ear. "The internal bleeding has stopped, thankfully."

"Will she be alright, papa?" another asked, tugging at Lina's memory. A boy. Bae.

"With rest, she'll be fine. We almost lost her. I wish I arrived sooner," the voice said. It didn't sound like hissing anymore, simply weary. She knew that voice, too. The spinner…

It was quiet for a moment or two and Lina started to fully regain consciousness. She couldn't move her body, but her eyelids started to flicker open and the dim light of the fire made it a smoother transition into the waking world. Her mouth opened and she breathed deeply. It was dry and her throat ached. Before she could attempt to say anything, a small drop of cool water ran down her tongue.

"Lina. I'm so sorry," Rumplestiltskin said, his voice wavering. "I shoulda gotten back sooner. I could have prevented this." Lina couldn't respond but felt another drop of water on her tongue. Her blurry eyes fell on the shape of the man and she noticed a small her shape beside him. Her heart slowed, knowing that their family was safe. "But I'm back now. And I brought home the children. And Bae is safe."

Lina felt her head nod. She didn't even know how she managed to do so. Swallowing another drop of water, she licked her dry lips and attempted to speak. "Hap… birthday, Bae," she whispered before she passed out once again.

Sometime later, Lina was aware that she was awake and no longer in pain. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling of their home for a while. She knew she was home as the sound of the crackling fire gently lulled her back and a slight shuffling sound came from near the front of the house. She wasn't alone, but she knew that she was safe. She'd always be safe, now. Because now, her best friend was the Dark One.

"Papa. She's awake," Baelfire said from nearby, his fingers helping her sit up as she tried to do so on her own. She grunted with the effort, but when she was up and leaning against something soft, she sighed. "Lina, are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?" the boy asked, hovering close to her.

"I'm…" Lina coughed a bit, her throat trying to work properly. "I'm okay, Bae."

Wary footsteps came toward them and Lina looked up to see a distraught Rumple looking down at her. Or who she thought was him. His hair was a bit curlier than it used to be and his skin had a slightly goldish green tint. It also shimmered in the light. His eyes were large, pupils contracted to mere points of darkness. And his cloak was a deep burgundy instead of the usual tatters he wore.

"Lina… Mah wee lass. Welcome back," he whispered, his voice wavering. He sat on something beside her and his fingers made contact with her arm. But she barely felt anything.

"Did I go somewhere?" she asked, looking between the two. She knew that wasn't possible, but maybe there was something she forgot about the day before? Did Hordor take them somewhere? Was that how Rumple was able to help them?

"Ya barely remained in the living world, lass. You bled out. Your legs and pelvis were shattered and your ribs punctured your lungs. Your heart stopped," he said, his disgust evident on his face. "That bastard fell on you. But he's gone now. And I fixed you."

Lina nodded, feeling like she knew exactly what he meant. Hordor was dead and Rumple used his magic to save her. He saved her life. He had that power now. "You're the Dark One now." It wasn't a question but a confirmation of what he was seemingly leading to. "You killed the last one."

"I am. And I did. I came back, just as I promised," he said, making her smile a little bit. She was still drowsy, but she saw the smile he gave back to her.

"Papa… I'm going to go out. I need to take a walk," Baelfire said quietly. Rumple waved at him without looking and the boy gasped. Lina looked at him and noticed that his clothing had changed into those of well to do families. He didn't look dirty anymore and he was holding a wrapped package. He opened it and saw a pair of hearty boots. "Papa?"

"Happy birthday, Bae," he said quietly. The boy gave his father a hug before running out the door. When it was just the two of them, Rumple turned his large eyes back on the girl. "How are you feeling, love?"

Lina shrugged her shoulders and winced. At least those aches were there to stay. "Alright, considering," she whispered, only managing to get a soft voice out. Her ribs felt stiff as she breathed, but she was able to breathe now. She didn't think she'd ever take oxygen for granted again.

"I almost lost you, Lina. Without this power, I would have lost Bae and you. Bae told me that they came at dawn and Hordor grabbed you. Did he do anything to you?" Rumple asked, his voice steady, though the anger was blazing in his eyes.

Lina shook her head and a sigh escaped her friend. He must have been worried the dead man had been forward with her. "No. Just nearly squished me. But he said he wanted to actually finish the job in front of you. Instead, he put me in that bag and I couldn't get out."

It was Rumplestiltskin's job to nod now but he remained silent. His finger was gently rubbing Lina's arm and she started to finally feel it. It was soothing and she breathed deeply, just staring at him. He was staring at her, eyes filled with emotion but the rest of his face blank. The silence between them was reassuring to her that he hadn't changed much from the gain of power. She only hoped it remained that way.

What seemed like hours later, Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat. "I… Zoso told me something about you."

"Zoso?"

"The previous Dark One. He was the beggar that claimed to have given the seed to your mother." If Lina was being honest, the fact that the creepy beggar was the Dark One wasn't all that surprising. The fact that he knew her and knew so much about the dagger should have given it away. She nodded, motioning for her friend to go on. "He… He told me about you. About how a faeling could get their wings. He was egging me on, telling me that Bae wasn't mine, that he wasn't a coward like me. And then he mentioned you. 'She'll never love you. A faeling will grow their wings when they find love. She'll never grow her wings for a coward.'"

Lina's eyes widened and a deep flush lit up her face. Rumple's tiny pupils were fixated on her and she couldn't even hide away. Her wings would grow if she fell in love? Was Baelfire right after all? "Why would he-"

"Is it Jacob?" Rumplestiltskin asked, his voice cold. "Is that why you left the tavern?"

"Excuse me?" Lina choked out, her face going pale. "You think I-"

"Your wings have been growing. That is clear after I looked at your back. Who is it that made them start growing?" he asked, his voice starting to scare her. She didn't know what to say. She had no idea but her wings did. And she certainly didn't have any sort of fond feelings for Jacob in any way. Rumplestiltskin must have misread something in her face, because a snarl appeared on his face. "You'll need to leave, then. Being in love with a married man. You disgust me."

Her jaw dropped and she had just enough time to realize that Rumple was waving a hand at her before she was enveloped in purple smoke. The house she knew as home disappeared and she felt her body land on soft earth. Looking about, she recognized wilted mushrooms and the dark grey base of a tree. Her tree. "No. No!" she cried, getting to her feet and feeling her hips flared in pain. Her legs buckled beneath her and her shoulders burned.

She was in the forest, the sun setting beyond the trees. He cast her away because he believed she loved someone that wasn't him. She realized her feelings for the man as she waited for death before and she never got time to explain to him after she was healed. And he cast her aside so easily. That thought alone made her heart thud in sadness.

Lina loved Rumplestiltskin, but it seemed he didn't love her back.

Days passed and Lina stayed confined in her small home in the trunk of the tree. Her hips were still mending and her shoulders were on fire daily. She found no relief in rubbing them but noticed that the bumps were becoming less pronounced. Her wings were shrinking. Being rejected was making them disappear.

Lina hadn't seen Lilla or the other townspeople in going on a week. She wondered if they knew about Rumplestiltskin yet, if he was protecting Baelfire like he promised. She wondered if anyone asked about her disappearance. If Rumple had confronted Jacob. No. If someone had asked about her, they'd have come to see her. If he had bothered Jacob, he was sure to have shown up in apology. But no one was coming.

After eight days in the tree, Lina was finally able to walk without her hips creaking and her legs giving out from under her. In that time, she barely managed to eat anything, as she wasn't as mobile as she liked. Every time she needed food of some sort, she would try to crawl along the mossy ground but soon, she resorted to pulling her damaged body with only her arms. There were now deep grooves in the dirt where her hands had dug to pull her body forward.

Her body was starting to thin around her chest and hips, her fingers more pronounced than they had been a week ago. She refused to look for a glass to see herself but knew that her cheekbones were starting to sharpen and her hair was matted and tangled. Her heart was always hurting and dizziness was prominent when she was able to move. She had fallen into a pit of depression after the loss of her family and home.

On the tenth day, Lina was sitting on her small bed when she heard footsteps outside of her home. She tensed and waited for them to continue on, but they stopped close to her door. She didn't know what to expect and stayed silent, hoping, wishing that the person would go away and leave her in peace. The truth was that she felt foolish for caring about someone that could change so easily. She had lived with him and helped him and he had decided to get rid of her at the first inkling of a possible betrayal. There was no faith that she was with him for the long haul.

"Lina… Papa made a mistake." Baelfire. At least it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin. Then Lina would have felt her heart break all over again. "But he won't come here and tell you himself. He's different now. The powers have made him into something else. I don't know how much more I can take."

She bowed her head and buried her face in her hands. Rumplestiltskin was making his own son suffer. The son he fought so hard to protect. She didn't know what to do or say to the boy, but she heard him move. After some shuffling, she heard the tree creak and knew that the boy was now leaning against it. She found some comfort in knowing that the boy sought her out in his time of need.

"He killed a man from town. I accidentally ran in front of his horse and got a scrape on my leg. Papa found out and turned him into a snail. And he stepped on him. He killed him and said he was protecting me. And he killed our maid, Anora. He killed her even though she was mute and couldn't tell anyone about how someone could control him."

Lina's head shot up and she ran to the door. She opened it wide and saw Baelfire sitting next to it, tears rolling down his face. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her and she immediately jumped onto his leg. "Bae. Are you okay?"

A watery smile appeared on his face and Bae held his hand out for her to climb on. When she did, he moved her to his shoulder. "I'm fine. But Papa…"

"Shh," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his jaw. "Your papa… He's not the same. The Rumple I fell in love with would never do what you say he's done. He needs to be stopped, Bae."

A slow smile appeared on the boy's face and his shoulders shook with a laugh. "I knew you loved him," he said quietly, making Lina blush. "Someone told me to seek out Rogorum. That he would give me answers on how to save Papa. I'm going at nightfall."

"Rogorum? I've never heard of someone with that name," Lina said. She knew there were different routes to mythical beings that could help them but someone so close? "Won't your father miss you?"

"He doesn't care. He says he wants to protect me, but he's obsessed with getting more power and looking for people to get it from. He left town earlier because he heard about someone having powers in the area."

"Then I'm coming with you. You can't go alone. And if this creature is something to be feared, I'll distract them so you can get away," Lina said without hesitation and she felt the boy's eyes on her. "If your father doesn't love me, then I have no reason to stay here beside protecting you how I can. I promised him that much."

The two were quiet for a bit, simply looking into the forest waiting for nightfall. Lina was cursing Rumple in her head before she realized that Baelfire was watching her again. "When was the last time you ate, Lina?" he asked quietly. She glanced at him and shrugged. "You don't know?"

"I haven't been able to move much. My hips took a long time to finally mend. I've only eaten what was left in the house before I came to live with you two. A couple of dried berries and nuts. Does it look bad?"

"You look… frail."

She only nodded, knowing that what he said was true. Of course it was true – she was two inches tall. Of course she'd be frail after losing weight. She shrugged then but nearly laughed when Baelfire produced a small loaf of bread. "What-"

"Lilla has been asking about you but Papa won't answer her. I told her that Papa cast you away and you were likely in your tree. I told her you were probably in pain and that it was best to leave you be. But she made me promise to bring you this, not that it took much for me to agree." The boy gave Lina a chunk of bread and as she bit into it, tears welled up in her eyes. People did care, even if Rumplestiltskin no longer did. "Jacob asked as well. Asked me when Cedric came out to play. Well, before they became scared of me because of Papa. He wanted to know how you were now that you didn't work at the pub. When I told him that Papa thought you loved him, he wanted to go find Papa to knock some sense into him. But I stopped him, telling him he'd be better off staying away."

The boy poured out all that had happened since Lina was magicked away, making Lina more and more upset. The Rumple she knew was starting to die and she agreed that the only way to fix it was to make him go to a place without magic. And knowing that he would be leaving this world with his son made her heart break all over again.

"Things will be better once I get him somewhere without magic. Things will be like they used to."

Yes. It would be better. For them at least.

Night finally fell and Lina was sitting on Baelfire's shoulder as he walked deeper into her woods. The last time they were walking this way, Hordor had found them running away. She stayed hidden in the boy's cloak, looking for any sign that something might spring on them. She was scared and she was sure that the boy knew it.

Baelfire sat below a tree and held his hands in front of him, as if to pray. Lina watched the shadows around them, waiting for any sign of movement. "Rogorum. Are you there? If you can help me, please make yourself known to me."

Nothing happened for a few moments and Lina was about to say something, when out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blue shining light. She gasped and pulled on the boy's hair, making him wince and look in her direction. Both of them were staring at none other than the famed Blue Faerie, her knowing smile turned to them.

"Can you help us?" Baelfire asked, making Lina smack his shoulder. How rude! He didn't even introduce himself or anything. But the Blue Faerie acknowledged them without seeming perturbed.

"I can help."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because there is good magic and dark magic. And I'm on the right side," she said, turning her eyes from Baelfire to Lina. "And I can help you too, my dear."

"You're a faerie. Like Lina," Bae said, making Lina scoff. He was unbelievable. But it seemed he was still a child filled with wonder.

"Hm. Oh and you're not untouched by magic are you child. There's something dark in your life."

"My father. He's the Dark One."

The Faerie nodded, her eyes turning a bit more serious. "I can't make him the man he was once before. But I can send him someplace where he won't be able to use his powers. A place without magic."

"But magic is everywhere," Lina butted in, a frown settling on her features. She and Baelfire knew it would come to this but knowing that he would be leaving made her upset again. "Even as a faerie…"

"In this realm yes. You see what ails your father is specific to our realm. His powers do not belong here. You must go where you can escape this wretched curse." A curse? Were the powers Rumplestiltskin gained to save his son and the village children really a curse?

"Go… You mean leave."

"Yes. It's the only way. Can you do it? Can you leave everything here behind for the unknown?" the Blue Faerie asked, making Lina's heart sink. She knew what was coming.

"If it means I can get my father back. Then yes."

The Faerie looked pleased, but Lina wasn't thrilled with any of it. She wanted to help, but her own selfishness wanted her new family to stay. "You're a very good son, Baelfire. You are the part of him that keeps him human. That little light inside him that still glows. That's his love for you. Hold out your hand."

As Baelfire did as asked, the two of them watched as a white light appeared in the Blue Faerie's hand and eventually fell into his. The light solidified and Lina gasped, seeing the shape of a bean. Was it another faeling? "What is it?"

"A magic bean. The very last one that is known to our kind. The others got away from us. Just use it wisely and follow wherever it leads you. It will save you both."

Baelfire was ecstatic and smiled widely to the Faerie. Lina couldn't begrudge him his bit of happiness, so she moved to hop down from his shoulder. When he gave her a look, she shook her head. "Get home, Baelfire. I'd like to speak with her a moment. I'll be alright."

"Okay. Goodnight, Lina. Thank you both," he said before darting out of the clearing. The two women watched him go before Lina released the breath she'd been holding. She didn't say anything at first, but the Blue Faerie didn't seem to mind. At long last, she finally gained the courage to speak.

"They will be leaving me," she said, turning to look at the blue clad woman that floated down to stand beside her.

"It's something that they need to do as a family," she said, her voice quiet. "And you're not a part of that."

"I know."

Silence followed Lina's admission. She knew that the family was taken away from her and that she'd likely never see them again. Baelfire would take Rumplestiltskin to another world where they could be happy again. One where war didn't ravage their lives and no one feared them.

"Your wings… They were growing, weren't they?" the Blue Faerie asked, her hand finding Lina's covered back. She didn't even feel pain in them anymore. "But… not anymore."

"When he got rid of me, they stopped growing. They're gone now and unlikely to grow again," Lina said bitterly and turned to look at the woman. Her eyes were full of tears and the other cooed lightly.

The Faerie pulled her into a tight hug and Lina felt the tears pour from her eyes. "Daughter… Please don't cry. You're doing a good thing helping that boy and his papa." Lina felt a sob escape her lips and her hands gripped the Blue Faerie's dress. She gained too much knowledge in the past ten minutes than she ever wanted. While things fell into place, other pieces started to fall apart entirely.

"I love him," she whispered and the Blue Faerie only held her tighter.

"I know."

* * *

I'm sorry?


	9. Chapter 9

Hello there! It's been a while. Sorry about that. Get ready for the feels.

* * *

The house was bigger, but probably a lot emptier. A piece of Lina's heart broke at the realization that Rumplestiltskin felt like he needed something so grand to show his power. To show that he was fine. The windows were dark and somehow, she knew something horrible was going to happen.

"Thank you for bringing me back here, mother," Lina whispered, her green eyes focusing on the Blue Fairy once again. When she smiled, Lina tried to respond in kind. But all she could manage was a watery grimace.

"Don't let him scare you, Lina. He's hurting, much like you, and he doesn't know how to effectively manage it. But this is a time for you to say goodbye, because he won't be in this world much longer," the Blue Fairy said, making Lina's heart throb.

Tears started to trail down Lina's face as she stepped away from the woman. Her sore hips forgotten, she ran toward the door before she lost her nerve. She was a foot away when it opened and a pair of high, dark boots greeted her.

"Hello, dearie," a dark voice said, making Lina look up into the large hazel eyes that replaced the ones she loved so much. Where there was once smooth skin was pebbled scales. How much he had changed. "I see you've returned."

"Rumplestiltskin," Lina whispered, biting her lip and wringing her thinned fingers. She couldn't bare looking at the cold fire in her friend's eyes, so she looked away quickly. "I… I wanted to see you."

The wood floor inside the house creaked. "Papa? Is it Lina?" Baelfire said, making her heart swell. She would really miss that boy. "Is she finally home?"

Home. Would it be home anymore? Where would she go after they left? The tree was so far from the town. She was so used to living close to everyone; could she just leave again? Or would she travel to the next town?

"Go to your room, Bae." Rumplestiltskin's voice left no room for argument, and the boy was gone quickly. "Why are you here?"

Lina whimpered in her throat and her tears reawakened. "I-"

"Here to gloat that you and Bae conspired against me? That he now has a magic bean to take us somewhere that takes my power? Come to see your work?" he demanded, his voice harsh and loud in her ears. Her hands were covering her face at that point, but the man didn't seem to want to back down. "You wanted to be left alone that much that you had to tell Bae about fairy magic? Blue Fairy magic, no less?"

"No-"

"No. You wouldn't have the knowledge about that kind of magic. You're no fairy. Just a little girl that fell into an ill lot. Well, now you won't have to set your sights on the poor cripple, will ya? You can run off with whatever man will give you the time of day. Find that little Cornelius you adore so much," he spat, his voice becoming a sneer at the mention of Lina's past love interest.

"How did you-"

Rumple's laugh came from his nose and held no warmth. "The benefit of being the Dark One. You know all that was and all that will be. Get a good look at me, Thumbelina. This is the last you'll see of your 'family.'"

"Rumplestiltskin, stop it!" Lina screamed, her voice cracking. The spinner stopped sneering and looked down at her, his eyes growing wider. "I didn't tell Baelfire about the Blue Fairy! He asked me to go with him after you left him alone. After you made me go away because you couldn't stand the thought that I would love you!"

"No one loves me!" he yelled back, his voice high. A purple glow started to pulse from his fingers and Lina winced. The last time she saw that, she was sent back to her tree. The spinner noticed. "You fear me! Nothing more!"

A sob broke from Lina's throat then. Her legs collapsed from below her and she fell into the dirt. She didn't acknowledge the pain or the villagers peering out from their windows. She just knew that the man she loved now looked down at her like a bug. Such a stupid man.

"See? No one… Not even you," she heard above her. When she looked up, Rumple was standing above her, having left the safety of the doorway. The sadness in his eyes was palpable and Lina's were stinging from tears. "You were better off not serving me that night."

"You're a fool, Rumplestiltskin!" she cried back as she stood. The anger inside her was starting to grow. She was losing the people she cared about and this man was determined to make her heart break. It hit her then that maybe he was doing it on purpose. Baelfire even said that he realized he made a mistake. Moving toward him, she grabbed a stone and threw it up at him. "You idiot!"

Rumple winced as the stone connected with his leg. He stepped back a bit but Lina was there with another stone and threw it higher. She was getting bolder and started picking up stones faster than he could dodge. "Lina-"

"Shut up! You bastard! You made me go away because you decided I couldn't love you. Without even hearing my side! Then you accuse me of sending your son to my bloody mother for a magic bean?! How dare you! And then you talk to me this way? You deserve every bloody stone, you fool!" Lina yelled, purposely aiming for Rumple's previously injured leg and his groin. She couldn't reach high enough, but she really wanted to hit him in the face. To knock some sense into him.

Lina searched for more stones as Rumplestiltskin retreated. She saw a particularly large one near his feet and ran toward it. As her fingers gripped the edge, she felt herself being lifted from the ground. She thrashed a moment before her body's energy gave out and she dangled in the air by her waist. Looking up, she saw Rumplestiltskin's watery eyes blinking at her and she just huffed in his direction.

Though the man looked like he wanted to say something, he stayed silent and moved back into the house with Lina in hand. All the fight seemed to have left both of them and it showed when Rumple sat on a chair near his table and placed Lina in front of him. "Lina…"

"What?" she said dejectedly, her head down. She refused to look at him but a finger under her chin made her look up. She didn't want to acknowledge the fact that though his skin looked scaly, his fingers were still soft. Lina kept her eyes away from the man and felt a bit of happiness when he sighed.

"Mah wee lass… Please look at me," he whispered. He sounded so much like he used to that Lina couldn't help but do as he asked. His large eyes blinked owlishly at her and an unsteady smile flitted over his thin lips. He looked so broken. He hadn't really changed after all. "I'm so sorry." When she opened her mouth to reply, he held a finger over his lips. "Please. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for drawing you into this mess. For sending you away. I wanted to believe that someone cared after Milah left. And you were there… You cared about my well-being. Talked with me. And the night that you appeared as I spun. I hadn't felt so comfortable around anyone in so long…"

He stopped for a moment and took a breath. Lina pulled her chin away from his finger and when he protested in his throat, she crawled into his hand instead. A weak whimper left him as he pulled her close.

"When you agreed to stay with us, I was so happy. I'd seen you so often coming and going around town as I spun. Milah was becoming more of a patron to the tavern around that time. I heard that you refused to serve her, so I watched you. I think I fell in love with you before Milah even left. Before I even realized that my heart couldn't be broken by her. And when your wings started to grow, I couldn't even hope to believe that they were because of me. I so hoped but… I'm so sorry that I've been so stupid."

The two sat quietly together, Rumple's hands shaking slightly. Lina was close to his cheek and before she could lose her nerve, she leaned close and kissed him lightly. She could hear his breath catch in his throat and a weak laugh escape him. "It would just be my luck… Finally telling the woman I love about how I feel about her just before I leave her world entirely," he whispered ruefully, making Lina press her head against his. "I don't want to leave you, Lina."

"It's something you need to do for you and your son," she whispered. "I'll be okay."

"Do you promise?" he asked.

"I do," she said and closed her eyes. He loved her. He actually admitted it and though it made her unbelievably happy, it was bittersweet. She had to let him go because she loved him. He and Baelfire needed to be happy and they couldn't be here.

"Lina," he said quietly, making her look to him once again. But when she looked at him, he didn't seem so large. He seemed… normal sized to her. She blinked for a second and noticed that she wasn't sitting in his hand anymore but that it sat at her waist as she sat on the table top. She could feel how warm his hand was through her dress and how it steadied her. She felt her stomach jolt in realization. He made her big.

"Rumple…" Tears sprung up in Lina's eyes and a smile wavered over her lips. He mirrored her and moved enough to rest his forehead against hers. They stared at each other for a moment before he moved in.

Lina's eyes widened a moment when Rumple's lips settled on hers, only to snap them shut immediately after. The pressure was heavenly and his fingers firmly pressed into her hips. Her hands gripped his arms for stability as she became lightheaded. How many times did she wish she could be this close to him while she lied unmoving in her tree? How much did she wish she could be big to do this very thing with him?

The kiss ended too soon and as Rumplestiltskin pulled away, Lina opened her eyes, breathing labored. They pressed their foreheads together again and a sweet smile lit up the spinner's face. "I love you, Lina," he whispered, trying not to break the trance they had over each other.

"I love you, Rumple," she said back before he took advantage and kissed her again. His hands moved from her waist to her shoulders and pulled her closer to his body. Her fingers dug into his hair and just as she was about to nudge him closer, he pulled away. "What-"

"Where are your wings?" he asked suddenly, his dark eyes zoning into her shoulders. "I don't feel them. Where are they?"

Lina was about to respond when she heard a gasp. The two of them looked toward the stairway and saw Baelfire watching them, his mouth open. Rumplestiltskin's hands left her then, and she immediately felt nauseous. Her body shifted and before she knew it, she was only two inches high, sprawled out on the table once again.

"Lina! You were big!" Baelfire said excitedly, moving to see her. "How did you do it, papa? Why isn't she still big?" he asked, looking to his father. Lina was confused as well and though a blush was rising to her face, she looked at the man in question.

"I told you, Bae. Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I have. It wasn't permanent. It could never be permanent," he said quietly, his eyes moving to her.

She smiled sadly and nodded. Her being big would never be permanent. Much like their relationship. Baelfire had the bean now, so it was only a matter of time before she had to say her goodbyes. A tear slipped from her eye then, and she laughed slightly. It was never meant to be permanent.

"It's getting late. Baelfire has the bean, Rumple. We can't draw this out longer," she said quietly and moved to his hand. He opened it quickly and she climbed up onto it. "We need to say goodbye now."

Baelfire said goodbye to Lina first, his tears shining in his eyes. But he was a good, strong boy. He wouldn't show his weakness now, not when his father needed him. Rumplestiltskin watched the two of them from the dark corner of the room, his eyes two pinpricks of light. Lina was very aware of him watching her but she couldn't let it affect her goodbyes to the boy.

"You have a bag packed?" she asked, looking up at Baelfire and straightening out the brooch that held his cloak over his shoulders. When he nodded, she gave him a smile. "You take care of yourself, Baelfire. Make sure you are aware of the world around you and don't let your father get into trouble. You have to be tough, dearie. Okay?"

"Yes, Lina. I promise," he answered and placed her down on the table. "I'll keep papa safe. For you." With that, Baelfire said a small goodbye before he sent his father a look. Nodding to him, he left the house to give them a private goodbye.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't waste any time in grabbing Lina and the nausea wracked her body. When her feet hit the floor, she had to balance herself as Rumple's lips were on hers once again. Where the kiss was soft before, this one was firm and full of urgency. A goodbye kiss.

"I will see you again, Lina. In another life. We'll have a family of our own and we'll be happy. I promise," he said quickly, holding her close to him. "And I'll help you regrow your wings."

"I know, dearie. I'll be waiting," she responded.

"I love you," he said, kissing her fingers. She felt something cold on them just after and saw a small silver band with a dark red stone. "When we meet again, I will marry you."

Lina wasn't going to cry, wanting to be strong for the two of them. But her throat closed and she choked down her tears as she nodded to him. "Yes. Until then, Rumplestiltskin."

He was pulling away from her, moving toward the door. She held onto his hand, moving with him, refusing to be away from him until the very last moment. His smile was pained and she squeezed his fingers. "I love you."

"Goodbye, mah wee lass," he said finally before his fingers left her. The door was closing behind him when not only did Lina shrink back to her normal size, but her shoulders erupted in pain as her wings finally made their appearance. But instead of blue, they were the same purple as Rumple's magic.

Lina wasn't sure how long she sat in the house, feeling the pain weave from her shoulders into her bones. She didn't know how long she cried, wishing that they hadn't left her. But her heart and the ache that came with it proved to her that it was done. She didn't know how long she was alone until she heard voices outside. Not one or two villagers but what seemed to be a whole slew of them.

Fire burned behind the curtains over the windows. She heard them jeering and yelling, goading whomever was out there to act. She felt the fear start to swell in her heart but she didn't have time to hide before the door fell to the ground and men started to swarm Rumplestiltskin's home. She screamed but no one noticed her small body on the floor. She would have preferred it that way, but she soon felt a hand grab her.

"Ah ha! Caught a fairy!" a man that she didn't recognize said, calling to his companions that were looting all they could from each room. "Get a good price for one-a-these!" he said, making his friends laugh. Lina wanted to struggle, to get out of his grip, but the way he squeezed her in his palm made her wings bend. The pain from them appearing was bad enough, but she could feel every inch of the wings and they were being crushed.

"Let go. Please!" she cried, the tears already flooding down her face. The man only laughed and shoved her into one of the bags given to him. Falling in, she was enshrouded in slight darkness, as the mesh of the bag allowed her to see the light from the fires. She fell on something hard and noticed that it was a bowl that looked similar to the one she had as a bed here. Her heart lurched and she sobbed harder.

"Alright, light it up!" another voice called and in seconds, the visible light in the bag tripled. Looking through the mesh, Lina gasped and screamed. Rumplestiltskin's house was up in flames and would soon be nothing more than ash. At least he wouldn't have to see what these horrible people had done. At least he wouldn't have to worry about what would become of her now. A loud cheer rose from the people around her and she curled up, resting her head on her knees. She felt her wings droop a bit as her emotions started to get to her. The people she considered friends were burning down the house of someone she loved and had captured her. Apparently, she wouldn't be able to keep her promise to Rumplestiltskin.

She wouldn't be okay.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm not dead. I've actually been working on this pretty diligently for the past few days. I have quite a few chapters made up, but I won't be posting them right away. I hope you like this one.

When I write stories, I like to have 'play-bys' that I model my characters after. It makes it a bit easier to get inside the head of my characters. As such, Lina / Lyra is modeled after my favorite Kat Dennings. I hope this helps.

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CHAPTER TEN

Lyra tapped her fingers against the wood lightly as she watched Louis mutter to himself behind the bar. There were few things in the world that stressed that man out, one of them being 'Rent Day.' Though the bar made a decent amount of money, he was always worried about making the payment on time. And he always had a guy to drop the delivery off – a guy that was currently missing.

'Where is he?' she heard Louis growl to himself as he counted the money for the fifth time in ten minutes. Lyra found it amusing that he was so worked up, but really saw no point in it. So their landlord was Mr. Gold. So what? It wasn't like the guy could catch him after dropping the money off. The guy had a limp and a cane.

'Maybe he was sick of listening to your bitching,' she said with a grin and laughed at the glare her boss sent her way. 'Why not just deliver it yourself? It's not like you're late or short changin' the guy,' she added, her green eyes shining with amusement. 'What's he gonna do? Behead you for upholding your legal promises?'

Louis slammed his fist into the bar and sent her a glare. She assumed he didn't like her attitude on the matter. And she would be correct. 'Shut up, okay? You have no idea how Gold is. You're just a kid in this town compared to the rest of us. Rent something from him and maybe you'd understand the pressure on all our shoulders. Until then, shut up!'

To say she was offended would be an understatement. Standing from her stool, she grabbed the cash from Louis and marched toward the door. 'Whatever. I'll do it myself,' she said loudly, slamming the door behind her before he could say anything. He was such a wuss, Lyra was embarrassed.

With the sun down, the streets of Storybrooke were dark and quiet. Not many decided to stay out, especially with a winter storm on the horizon. It'd been snowing for a few hours by the time Lyra left the bar, but she wasn't perturbed. She dealt with shitty weather enough in her life to know that a little snow wasn't something to get so riled up about. But the citizens of the town were of the opposite belief. A little snow falls and everyone lost their minds.

Though it was only 4:45, Lyra walked a little quicker in order the meet Mr. Gold at the pawn shop. He closed his doors about 5pm in the winter and she wasn't interested in trying to chase his car into the woods. Summer? Sure, fine. Winter? She'd break a leg.

Hearing laughing, she looked up and saw that Granny's had a full house that night, being Friday and all. They must have been celebrating something. Lyra wouldn't know, she never talked to people much. She usually kept to herself, went to work, went home, bought groceries just before the pharmacy closed. She didn't understand the joy of making friends. She didn't realize she'd stopped to stare until the short haired school teacher looked out the window right at her. Ignoring the wave, she picked up the pace again, pulling her black coat around her.

Lyra barely noticed when she was in front of the pawn shop, so deep in her thoughts that the sound of the door slamming made her jump. Looking up, she saw none other than Mr. Gold himself. They'd never actually met, she stuck to her plot of land and he to his, but she knew him from the descriptions.

'Evening,' he said lightly when he saw her, though turned away to lock the door. He didn't seem so bad and confrontational to Lyra. But she was a bad judge of character.

'Mr. Gold. I'm glad I caught you. I'm here to drop off the rent for the Rabbit Hole,' she said lightly, holding out an envelope to him. It was quiet between then for a moment before he sighed, not even looking at her.

'I made it very clear to Louis that rent was due on time. And where's Peter?' he asked, walking past her without giving her any more attention.

Being brushed off pissed Lyra off to no end. She was trying to pay the guy and here he was acting like she was a pion. A beggar to ignore on the streets in Baltimore. 'He's missing, if you care. Ya gonna take the money or not?' she asked, her tone taking a 180. She wasn't going to stand there and be verbally abused by some guy that thought he owned the town.

Her anger seemed to get through to him as he stopped walking to his car. With a scoff, he held out his hand. 'Next time, make sure it's here before five,' he said. Lyra stomped to his side and shove it into his hand before passing in front of him. She got a foot away before she felt his hand latch onto her. She tried to shrug him off, but the grip was strong. 'And who the hell are you?'

Lyra's anger reached a new level as she pulled her arm away from him and took several steps back. 'No business of yours,' she muttered.

'I know everyone in this town. From the lowly school janitor to Regina Mills. And I haven't seen you here. What's your name?' he asked, making her bristle. Looking back at him, he looked suspicious but his eyes seemed a lot less cold than his attitude. 'You're not one of my tenants.'

'Because I own the land I live on, oh Mr. Great and Powerful,' Lyra replied, her attitude shining brightly in his face. It only occurred to her after that maybe it wasn't such a good idea. She started walking away again, ignoring the step-clip of him following.

'I want your name!' he yelled at her back, making a grin etch into her face. Waving over her shoulder, she passed by his pawn shop and down the back alley. He wouldn't be able to catch up, even if he got to his car. He'd still need to turn down the main road and onto a side street to get to her. By then, she'd already be down her dirt driveway into the woods.

Thankfully, she had time before the bar opened for the night to hide out and make sure Mr. Gold wouldn't follow her. The woods were just as dark as always and she enjoyed the sounds of the barren branches in the wind. Soon enough, she came up to her little house, a cottage built by her mother long before she passed away. The worn red clay roof made her feel cozy inside and the small lantern she left hanging above the door lit the way.

Lyra took out her keys and unlocked the door, shutting the cold out behind her. The home was one room, a small bed in the corner and a dresser across from it. Near to the door was a fireplace with hearth and an oven with two stovetop coils. Her mother was the type to live a minimalistic life, so Lyra picked up the same habits. The only things she really owned were a few dresses and books, the latter being passed down to her through her mother's will.

She wouldn't choose any other place to wait out the snow or to hide from the gaze of Gold.

As eight rolled around, Lyra looked up from her table and noticed that the light outside had gone out. The snow was falling again, glowing in the dark past her windows. But there was no moon… Looking out, she groaned at the sight of something she really wished wouldn't become a thing. Standing up, she pulled her coat on around her. She couldn't avoid it – she'd be late for work if she did.

Closing the door behind her and locking it up, she reached up to light the lamp again. Satisfied it wouldn't go out while she was gone, she turned to face the inevitable. The door to the dark Cadillac opened and out came the person she now actively had to avoid.

'Evening, Mr. Gold. To what do I owe the pleasure?' she said, no trace amount of happiness in her words at his presence. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she watched the man hobble closer and she caught his sneer at her home. He didn't say anything until he was directly in front of her, staring down in the headlights of his car. 'Uh… Can I help you off my property?'

'You don't own this. Margaret Therou owns this and she has no children, much less a grown one,' he said, making her roll her eyes. 'You're trespassing on a frail old woman's property. Have you no shame?'

'My mom's dead, you asshole. She died two years ago,' she growled, crossing her arms. 'And her will left it to me. So fuck off while you can before I call the cops.' She was done playing with the guy and she really did need to get to work. But she needed him to leave before she did, else he decided to burn the place down.

'How dare you talk to me that way. Your poor mother obviously never taught you manners, you little-'

Pulling a knife from her pocket, she brandished it in his face. 'Say one more word about her or me, and you better hope you sleep with one eye open,' she muttered and pointed at his car with the blade. 'Now get back into your car and get off my property. I need to go to work,' she hissed, her eyes glowing in the car's headlights. She waited for him to move, but he didn't budge.

'We aren't done talking about this,' he hissed, his eyes filled with rage. She stood up straight and looked him in the eye, neither backing down. 'You egotistical child!' he huffed before shaking his head and turning back to his car. He didn't spare her another glance before he slammed the door shut and the car retraced it's tracks down the dark hill.

Lyra watched him go, the darkness settling in once again as soon as the blinding lights disappeared. The silence was maddening, the only sound coming from the sputtering oil lamp and the tree branches clashing against each other.

Glancing at her watch, Lyra swore and started down the snowy hill. She had just barely enough time to make it to work, change her shoes, and snag a few fries out of the fryer.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello all. Thank you for sticking around once again. I'm looking at my chapter after this and thinking of changing some things up. So please bare with the wait. Thank you for all the follows, favorites, comments, etc.

A question came up about Lina/Lyra and her alignment. I feel that she is neutral. She cares for Rumple himself, not what he can or can't do.

Happy reading!

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Lyra had a full week where she didn't see Mr. Gold out and about. It was like she'd dreamed him up. Not that she was complaining at all. She preferred the life of the lonely, especially after her ex Corey. That guy had ruined humans for her entirely.

Making a rare appearance in town during the day time, several people turned to look at her as if she was new. The therapist with his dalmatian even stopped to give her a smile and a confused look. She ignored it and walked into Granny's. She really just wanted warm food that she didn't have to make herself. For once.

'Hey, you can sit anywhere,' a brunette said from behind the counter, barely glancing up at Lyra as she walked in. Shrugging, she pulled her coat off and hooked it to the hanger before making her way to the furthest booth in the back. Sitting down, she picked at her nails, anxious about being out.

The brunette appeared soon after, making Lyra crane her neck to look up at her. 'Hey there, I'm Ruby. You look new here, but I could have sworn I've seen you at the Rabbit Hole,' she said, her bright red lips curled into a grin.

'Oh, yeah, I'm a bartender there. I work with Louis,' she said and held out a hand. Ruby took it instantly and grinned wider.

'I love Louis! He's so generous on the drink,' she cooed and Lyra rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

'Sounds about right for him. That's why I don't do his books and Andre gets so pissed off,' she said and laughed. 'I'm Lyra by the way.'

'Lyra. Pretty name. Too bad it belongs to such a person,' they heard and she immediately rolled her eyes. Looking up to the one person she wanted to avoid, she saw Ruby wince from the corner of her eye.

'Mr. Gold. Didn't think you were allowed out in the daylight with the rest of use mere mortals,' Lyra said, leaning back. Ruby left the menu and disappeared, probably not willing to be a part of a fight with Mr. Gold.

'Funny. Didn't think you'd show up in town, you know socializing. You look more like a thief,' he said before plopping into the booth without asking. She couldn't kick him, he had a limp, but she really, really wanted to.

'What do you want, Mr. Gold?' she asked with a sigh, resting her head on her palm. In all honesty, she just wanted to eat. Looking down at the menu, she flipped through for the lunch food, settling on a chicken salad sandwich.

'Like I said, I know everyone in town and I haven't seen you until last week. Who are you and where are you from?' he asked, his glare boiling. Glancing up at him, Lyra rolled her eyes and shut her menu.

'I've been here. Just because you go to bed at six like the rest of the old folks around here, doesn't mean there aren't night owls. I work at the Rabbit Hole at night and sleep during the day. Like every other bartender in the world,' she said and took a drink from the water in front of her that appeared at some point between meeting Ruby and then. 'I don't like being in town for long periods of time if I can help it.'

'Where are you from?' he asked, the anger starting to die in is eyes. At her joke, the edges of his eyes wrinkled. 'I knew Margaret but she never mentioned having a child.'

'Mom adopted me when I was 16 from some place outside New York. I don't remember much of it. Not that it matters now. I've worked as a bartender since I got here and when she died, I kinda just stopped socializing,' she said and when Ruby showed up at her side, she motioned for the sandwich.

'Want anything Mr. Gold?' Ruby asked, trying to keep up the sweetness in her voice. At the word 'coffee,' she disappeared again.

'And so you live by yourself in the woods, the only plot of land that I don't own. It's like a fairytale,' he said, his dark demeanor starting to disappear.

Lyra was fascinated by the man, how he could change his mood at the drop of a dime. How the anger could melt into curiosity at the smallest speck of backstory. It was endearing, but Lyra wasn't fooled.

'And now you know and can leave me alone,' she said as their food and drink were placed in front of them. She took a savage bite of her food without another word from Gold. Not that she was inclined to listen at this point. He knew all he wanted and he could be on his way.

'No, I think I quite like you, Lyra. Not afraid of me, though you should be. But being that you're not a tenant of mine, nor do you work for me, you really don't have much to fear. So long as we're in an… understanding,' he said, his voice dropping as he drank from his cup.

Lyra was openly staring now, seeing as he had locked his eyes with hers. They were a light brown, his silver streaked hair framing his face well for an older man. It was probably the money that helped. Thought she thought she would feel disgusted at a much older man giving her the once over, it felt familiar.

'And what understanding is that?' she asked, picking at some of her bread and popping it into her mouth.

'You have lunch with me once a week so I can find out more about you. I don't like being kept in the dark about the townsfolk, and considering you live so close by to my own home, I suppose we can think of each other as neighbors,' he said and pulled out his wallet. As he finished his drink, he dropped a twenty on the table and stood. 'Until next week, dearie,' he said, his voice taking a slight oily feel, and walked from the booth.

Lyra was confused, staring at the man's retreating back. She watched him interact with a tall blonde and the Mayor's son before he opened the door. They locked eyes for another second before he was gone entirely.

'Wow. Talk about tension,' a voice said next to her, making Lyra jump. Looking up, she saw the grinning face of Ruby with the bill. 'I'd say sexual, but I'm pretty sure the only way that guy would ever reproduce is via test tube.'

'Thanks for that image, Ruby,' Lyra said and pushed her sandwich away. Looking back at the door, she noticed that the blonde woman was openly staring at her. 'What's with her?' she asked, glancing back up at Ruby.

'That's Emma, she's the town sheriff after Graham died,' she said, taking the seat that Gold had recently vacated. 'Ugh, does that guy wear perfume? It smells like flowers and chocolate or something,' she said, her pretty face twisted in disgust.

Lyra blinked and subtly sniffed at her own wrist. She definitely smelled flowers and chocolate, the spicy blend that she preferred. Putting her hand down, she frowned. 'Graham died? I didn't know that. When did this happen?' she asked, suddenly perturbed that she didn't know someone in such a small town died.

'A few weeks ago, now. Emma came to town, they hit it off, Regina had a fit, like always, and he ended up having a heart attack. It was so weird!' Ruby said, her voice low. Glancing over her shoulder, Lyra saw that the blonde, Emma, was still staring at her. 'Sorry, she does that. She's probably wanting to know why you were with Mr. Gold. He's not well liked here.'

'Yeah, well, I didn't have plans with the man myself,' she muttered and sighed. She just wanted to get away from the staring. 'Can I have a box? I thought I could do this but I need to get home.'

'Do what?'

'This… Being a part of the town thing. I have the night off, so I figured I'd try my hand out. But this isn't working,' she said, her anxiety peaking when Emma got up from her seat and made her way over. Her heart started to race – for some reason she was so sure she was going to get arrested.

Growing up, she was a good kid. Never caused problems, never asked for anything. She stayed in line. But sometimes, people just wanted to start shit with her. 'Hey Ruby. I haven't seen you before. I'm Emma Swan, Sherriff.' She didn't offer a hand like Ruby had.

'Lyra. Resident of Storybrooke and bartender at the Rabbit Hole,' she muttered, taking the box from Ruby and putting her food in.

'Saw you talking with Mr. Gold. Associate of his?' she asked. No beating around the bush for this woman, it seemed.

'Nope. Just met him,' she said, keeping her answers short and to the point. She really just wanted this little interrogation over with so she could go home.

'You live in this town and you're just now meeting him? You sure you're not new?' she asked, making Lyra wince.

'Emma, she's not that social, okay? Ease up,' Ruby said, her voice stern. Lyra could have kissed her when the blonde nodded and turned away from them. Taking a breath, she dug out her wallet, shoving a five into Ruby's hand. 'What's this? Gold already paid.'

'For getting her to stop. I can only survive one trauma for today,' she whispered and stood from the booth. 'Thanks for lunch. I'll see you around,' she said before sneaking past her. She was at the door when she heard the woman yell to her.

'Bye! I'll see you tomorrow at the Hole!' she said, making the patrons turn to look at her. She felt her face turn red in embarrassment, grabbed her coat from the hanger, and ran out the door.

Lyra gasped as she awoke, the day having turned to night. She didn't know what woke her, but she was glad for it. The fire had gone out and needed to be fed again. Getting out from under her covers, she grabbed a log and a lighter as she shuffled to the hearth. Throwing it in, she took some of her junk mail, lit it, and placed it on top. She watched for a while, waiting for the log to catch fire, trying to get the fuzziness from her brain.

Her dreams were nonsensical. She dreamed of a bean, purple butterfly wings, and bright, glowing hazel eyes peaking from a face with pebbled gold-green skin. It wasn't a scary dream, but her heart hurt. It felt so normal and wonderful, but even as the last wisps of it faded away, she felt heartbroken.

A knock on her door made her jump, the fire finally lighting next to her. Looking up, she saw the darkness beyond the panes of glass, and became confused. Why would anyone be knocking on her door so late? Immediately, she groaned. There was only one person that knew she lived there.

Pulling on her robe, she moved to the door and opened it a crack. She briefly noted that the lantern was still going strong. 'Sherriff Swan? Can I help you?' she asked, surprised at the face that stood in front of her. It wasn't Mr. Gold after all, and really, she wished it was at this point.

'Wanted to check up on you,' she said, the look in her eye suspicious. Lyra was instantly insulted and huffed. 'You live here?'

'Obviously.'

Emma looked around the house and around the corner briefly. 'Doesn't look too stable. There's probably ordinances that make this… home a hazard,' she said, stern face intact.

'And those ordinances were probably written after my mother built this house, so it's automatically grandfathered in,' she snarked back, her eyes narrowing on the woman. If she was going to start something with her, which she was just minding her own business, there was going to be a problem.

'Funny. I talked to the Mayor and she said she doesn't know who you are or that there's a house on this land. But I looked it up and the only land that isn't owned by Gold belongs to Margaret Therou.'

If she had to explain herself again, Lyra was going to throw a fit. Help a person out and deliver their rent once and all of a sudden, the town wants to get involved with her life. She had half a mind to quit and leave town altogether.

'My mom died and willed it to me. Am I under some sort of investigation or something, Sheriff? Because I don't appreciate being interrogated about my habitation. Not by you, not by Gold,' she hissed, her anger starting to rise. Lyra wasn't in the mood for all this bullshit.

'How dare you. I-'

At the same time, headlights appeared over the crest of the hill that Lyra had to walk down to make it to town. As the car pulled up, it circled the sheriff's car and stopped next to the building. Lyra was both annoyed and elated that said car happened to be a dark Cadillac. The car turned off and the man in her mind stepped out, limping toward the door.

'Ah, Sherriff Swan. Pleasure to see you,' he said, his voice soft and husky. Lyra watched the exchange, keeping the door mostly shut on the two of them, the entirety of her body inside the house.

'Gold. What are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same, dearie. I didn't realize Miss Therou was under any sort of investigation,' he said, glancing at her still form in the doorway. 'Evening, dearie.'

'Evening,' Lyra squeaked, in awe of how easily Gold took the woman's attention off of her. He really was a force to be reckoned with.

'Met her in town today and figured I'd check out her … house. You knew her mother, right? Do you know if this house was built before or after the mandated ordinances?' the sheriff asked, pointing at the crumbling stone. 'This thing is a hazard.'

'The cottage was built long before any ordinances were written up on the safety of buildings, Ms. Swan. Margaret built it herself, using what she could find. It's lasted quite well.'

Lyra was shocked to see how Gold's personality could change. One moment, he was insufferable and the next, he was going toe to toe with the sheriff as if she owed him something. She knew of Gold, some of the rumors surrounding him, that he had a way with deals and happened to be the one that knew all of Storybrooke. To see it peek out from the darkness in his eyes was… thrilling.

'It's a hazard none the less. For the safety of all in Storybrooke, it's my job to make sure that the people are living in homes that aren't going to collapse in on them after a heavy snowfall. It should be condemned.'

Gold took a step toward the front door, putting himself between Lyra and Emma, which both women noticed immediately. Emma looked even more suspicious of the situation and crossed her arms over her red coat. 'Well, I didn't realize you were an engineer and building inspector, sheriff. Perhaps I should call upon you for the damned stairs in my house,' he said, a smile obvious in his tone.

'Why are you fighting with me on this, Gold? What's it to you?' the blonde asked, staring between them. 'Your… lady friend or something?'

'How dare you, you little b-'

'Sheriff, it might shock you, but not all my motives are ulterior. Perhaps I'd like to help a person out every now and then. Out of the goodness of my heart.'

'Like that time you tried to sell a baby?' Lyra blinked. What baby? Why was she now in on this animosity between them? It was all going downhill, now. She really would have to move soon.

'You enjoy bringing up the past, don't you? Believe me when I say that I could bring up things about you that would make your face wrinkle. I am not an enemy you want to have,' Gold said, his voice turning dark before he turned to the door. 'Now, dearie, we have business to attend to. Goodnight, Ms. Swan,' he said before pushing the door open. Lyra didn't know what to do, so she allowed it to happen and the door was shut on Emma's face.

The two breathed in silence for a few moments as they heard the cop car start and leave down the hill. 'What the hell is her problem?' Lyra asked, moving away from the door and sitting down in a chair by the fire. Gold limped forward, pointed at a chair, and with a silent nod from Lyra, he sat beside her.

'She's new. Doesn't know how the world works in Storybrooke. Unfortunately, she's suspicious of everything and everyone because of her son,' he replied, leaning his cane on the oven. As he took his coat off, she glanced at him. In a suit as always.

'Son?'

'Henry. Regina's son. She adopted him in infancy and recently, he left town to find his birth mother to bring her back.'

'Emma.'

'Exactly. With her running around, it's hard for someone like me to even show a minute bit of empathy for someone without her asking questions. First impressions and all that. But don't let her attack you like that again. You're a resident here, she is not. It's none of her business.'

'What, like you did?' she asked, annoyed. She heard him sigh as she stared at the fire. 'I shouldn't have even bothered to make sure the rent was in on time.'

For the first time, she heard Gold bark out a laugh, making her jump. Looking over to him, a smile lit his face and he looked years younger. The smile though… It looked so familiar. 'You truly are a wonder, Lyra. Talking back to the sheriff. Talking back to me. Shame no man's snatched you up yet,' he said lightly, his grin remaining.

Honestly, Lyra liked to see his smile. It was warm and it really did show how handsome he was. She stopped breathing for a moment, suddenly worried why she would think of all people that Mr. Gold was handsome. She was in shock for a moment and forgot to respond.

'Unless one already has?' he asked, his smile shrinking a bit, his eyes wide in curiosity. The question pulled her out of her self-monologue and she shook her head.

'Of course not, not that it's your business. I don't have time for… love. I need to be a caretaker to my large estate,' she said sarcastically and waved her hand around her. Looking over at Gold, his smile was gone and his eyes were large. Those looked so familiar, too.

They sat in silence for a while, neither willing to talk about such a subject. And in all honesty, Lyra's mind was completely blank. What else was she supposed to think. She was sitting with Mr. Gold in her house in the middle of the night. Knowing her luck, the damn blonde woman would have let out a rumor that the two of them were… more than acquaintances.

'You think… that Emma's gonna tell everyone we're… ya know,' she asked, her voice unsure.

'No. But I wouldn't get comfortable with those in town. The moment they know you've allowed me into your home, they will turn on you,' Gold said, pulling his cane toward himself to lean on. As he rested his chin on the hands that held the cane, he glanced over at her. 'But… should you need a place, you know where to find me.'

'Why are you being nice? Considering the past week of our acquaintance, I've pretty much found out you're loathsome.'

Gold laughed to himself and his skin sparkled in the light of the fire. Lyra was shocked by the sudden reflection of her dream that she almost missed what the man said. 'Because. You are exactly like someone I used to know so very long ago. She was… dazzling… Bright eyes, dark features, sharp wit. She opened my heart and made her home in it. We were to be married…'

Against her better judgement, Lyra leaned closer to him. Though his face was happy at the memory, his eyes were dim. 'What happened to her?'

'She became sad… Started to fade. Like a bird with its wings ripped off. And then she was gone. Left me behind. Left my heart and my home cold. I didn't even get to say goodbye,' he said, his voice slowly dying into a whisper. 'I tried to replace her. To steady the tides of madness her disappearance left. But no woman could ever be her. Could never steady those dark waters.'

'Gold… I'm so sorry,' she whispered and rested her hand on his knee. Her eyes locked to his and he only gave her a sad smile. 'Come to the Rabbit Hole tomorrow. I'll buy you a drink.'

'I'd like that.'


	12. Chapter 12

I've realized today that I've updated this maybe three times in the last year. That's unacceptable. I will do my best to get these done. I did add a bit to this, as the final version wasn't to my liking. Not quite. Happy reading.

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The bar was loud and busy as it always was, forcing Lyra to run around in a whirlwind of hostility. Louis was out, having decided to take the night off when they found Peter that morning. The man was found in the woods with a concussion and several lacerations. He was currently in the hospital with a possible aneurysm and a broken leg. Louis was distraught and decided to leave Lyra as the manager and only bartender.

'Fuck fuck fuck!' Lyra yelled when she stepped into the kitchen. She needed to breathe for a moment and seeing the mess that the kitchen staff made to keep up set her off. 'Fucking Louis! I'm gonna kill 'im!' she screamed before she felt hands on her shoulders.

'Calm down, dearie. Take a breath,' she heard in her ear. She whirled around and came face to face with none other than Mr. Gold.

'Mr. Gold! What are you doing here?!' she shrieked, noticing from the corner of her eye that the cooks in the area disappeared. Cowards.

'You were going to buy me a drink. But I think I should be offering it to you, dear,' he said as he glanced over her. She felt suddenly uncomfortable in her knee length mauve dress and calf length boots. Now she felt like her dress was too low cut and her large faux black pearls were accentuating it. It got her tips, but she felt trampy in front of Gold.

'I'm so sorry. It's so busy and I forgot and Louis isn't here and-'

She stopped talking the moment his hand touched her face. Her eyes widened, but her lips snapped shut. He stared at her for a moment before he smoothed her hair down and behind her ear. 'Dearie, tell me what I need to do.'

For the last two hours before bar close, Mr. Gold stood side by side with Lyra, mixing drinks and taking cash from perturbed patrons. Though they definitely preferred Lyra, no one complained about the drinks Gold mixed. A few even mentioned that he actually made them well. And though she got her fair share of tips, it surprised Lyra to see a majority of the tips in Gold's hands.

At one point in the night, Lyra was able to sit and just observe the man. If she didn't know better, he would have looked like the bartending manager at a high class reastaurant. He was fluid in his motions and even laughed with a customer or two. If she ever needed back up, she knew who she would call. It was sad to think that this wasn't the first time that Louis left her high and dry.

While she was watching him, she noticed him glance at her from time to time. Not that she could focus on him much, but knowing that he was checking up made her a little less stressed out. If she was struggling with a drink, he would swoop in to fix it, allowing her time to breath. He'd push water to her to keep her going and would rub her shoulders if she slumped. And she was curious on why she was completely comfortable with that.

When the last customer left and the kitchen was clean, Lyra leaned against the bar. Though she was breathing heavily, she grinned at Gold beside her. As he filled a glass with water for her, he only shook his head good naturedly at her. 'What's that look for, dearie?'

'I'm just… impressed, Mr. Gold. Ya helped a girl in need with nothing in return. Not at all how people describe you,' she said, taking the water from him. His long, elegant fingers brushed against hers and she was very aware of the shock that came with the contact.

'Oh, I didn't say I didn't want something for my services,' he responded, his brogue a little huskier than normal. Instead of saying more, he only grinned at her. After a drink, she put the glass down and stared at him. 'What now?'

Lyra shrugged and rested her chin on her hand. 'What would you want in return?' she asked, her wide green eyes blinking up at him. Though having spent some time with him in a stressful situation, she knew what she wanted to give him. But even unwanted displays of affection were sexual harassment. Especially to an older man like him.

Gold looked away from her for a moment. He looked like he was thinking for the right request, though his grin never faded. Lyra was about to say something when he moved closer to her, now leaning back against the bar, his thigh touching hers. 'Is there a line to my request in payment?' he asked, gazing down at her.

'No, I suppose not. You're not gonna ask for my first born, are ya?' she asked, her eyes lighting up in amusement. He mimicked her.

'I no longer deal in children, dearie. But… My payment is simple. Nothing too difficult and hopefully nothing that will scar you,' he said, a slight grimace appearing on his face.

She stood up straight then, seeing the disturbance in his eyes. Moving in front of him, she rested her hands on his cheeks, much as he had done a few hours ago to her. At the touch, his eyes darted to hers, his pupils dilating. 'Mr. Gold. In this past week, I've spent more time with you than I've spent with anyone since my mother died. You've been nothing but a gentleman to me and I really doubt anything you do would scar me at this point. Well, unless you knock down my home and leave me to freeze in our Maine winters,' she said lightly, a smile lighting up her face. But his seriousness didn't fade and a crease formed above his brows.

But it was the last thing Lyra was thinking about, as just as she finished talking, her lips were overtaken by his own. Though her eyes widened for a moment, they snapped shut immediately after. His hands were warm on her face and his breath was minty. The spark that she felt earlier was magnified and jolted into her stomach. Behind her eyelids, she saw large hazel eyes and purple wisps. It all felt so familiar.

Eventually, Gold pulled away. His breathing was slightly hitched, as was her own, and he leaned his forehead against hers. She licked her lips. Looking up, she saw him starting down at her. When neither found a sense of regret in the other, they gave a huffy laugh.

'Payment received,' he whispered and brushed a strand of her hair from her face. Her heart lurched and she immediately recognized the feeling.

'I missed you.' She wasn't entirely sure why she would say such a thing.

Though his eyes widened, he said nothing. But his smile remained on his face. 'Let me take you home.'

The drive back to her house after they locked up the bar was comfortable, warm, and quiet. Though neither spoke, Lyra was comfortable with Gold's hand overlapping hers on the middle console between them. She watched him drive with a smile on her face, while he stared at the road ahead of him with one on his own. His preferred soft jazz played between them.

'Thank you for your help, Mr. Gold. I definitely couldn't have done it without you,' she said, breaking the silence, but not ruining the atmosphere.

'It was my pleasure, dearie. What other man my age could say they spent such a night with a beautiful woman and was able to keep up?' he asked, the inuendo hanging in the air as he winked in her direction.

Lyra was sure she was blushing but was grateful they were past the standard street lights. Her hand moved gently and squeezed his fingers in her own. His grin only grew. As they drove up the hill to her home, she felt a small stab of regret at their imminent parting. But she knew it wouldn't be for long.

'Have lunch with me tomorrow,' she said quickly as he pulled the car up to the dark house and put it into park. 'My treat. To make up for that missed drink.'

'I believe our deal only required lunch once a week, dearie,' he said, though his response was more amused than chiding. She only rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand again. 'Alright, alright. Lunch tomorrow. Granny's?'

'Wherever you want to go. I'm buying.'

Gold rolled his eyes and huffed, his fingers entwining with hers. 'If we go where I would pick, you'd be out of money by the end of drinks. Granny's is fine with me, Lyra.' She stopped, a shocked look on her face. Though her smile was small, her wide eyes made him a bit concerned. 'What's wrong?'

'You haven't called me that before. My name, that is. I've always hated it. Lyralia Tommelise Therou.'

'Lyralia Tommelise. It rolls off the tongue well, dearie. Perhaps I should call you that from now on,' he said, his voice husky again. She only swatted his arm and grinned back at him.

'Don't you dare! Else I'll have to start digging around for your first name,' she said jokingly, making him shake his head. 'Don't give me that look, I'll find it. Someone must know it around here.'

'Good luck, dearie. If you find it, let me know,' he responded before he squeezed his hand and opened his car door. She whined after him and mirrored his actions, taking his cane and running to his side. 'Ah, already fetching my things for me. You'll be my little maid yet.'

'You're terrible.' Though he was holding onto the cane with one hand, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and started toward her front door. The snow had stopped for the evening and thankfully, her little light still shone brightly.

'Do you ever think of getting electricity out here?' he asked her, his eyes on the small fire hanging above them. 'I could get them out here tomorrow if you'd like.'

Lyra only shrugged and huddled closer to the man, her dress less than appealing for the lowering temperatures. 'I don't mind it, really. Don't have to waste the money on something I don't use. The stove is a log burner. I don't own a television or a cell phone or anything like that. The house is so small, a candle will light the place up. But thank you, Mr. Gold.'

'Rum.'

'Rum? That's the drink I owe you?' she asked, looking up at him confused.

Gold only chuckled and pushed some of her hair behind her ear again, the backs of his fingers trailing down her jaw. 'No. I'm a scotch man. I meant you can call me Rum. I fear my name is shorted for the same reason yours is.'

'Rum and Lyra. Drinks and song. What a pair we make,' she said with a laugh before she pulled her keys out of her coat pocket. 'So, tomorrow then? Shall we meet at Granny's or do you want me to meet you at the pawn shop, or…'

'Where will you be before then?'

'Probably here. I don't have to go to work until later,' she said with a shrug unlocking the door, her back to him.

'Do you ever get nights off?' he asked, his eyes narrowing for a second. For a moment, she could swear that she heard hostility.

'Not often. Louis has me on most nights since he can't be there. Not many nights are as busy as tonight was, I assure you.'

'So you mean to tell me you work every night while that… boy runs around with the nightwalkers of Storybrooke? Who else works with you?'

Lyra thought for a moment before she stared wide eyed at the man. 'No one, I guess. I'm the only bartender he's ever employed for as long as I remember.' Gold was silent, but Lyra could feel his body tensed. 'It's okay, Rum. Really.'

'Lyra… It's unacceptable. The man that employed you doesn't work with you and then you walk home alone at night after you've been the only bartender all evening?' The fire from the lamp wasn't the only light burning in the man's eyes now.

'He's there Thursday through Saturday. That's the busy times, you know. He makes sure no one follows me home.'

'And how does he know? Does he follow you?' The look on his face was a mix of horror and disgust. Lyra didn't have to guess what was running through his mind then.

'Mr. Gold… Rum. Settle down. I've been doing this for years, okay? And Louis… he's not like that. It's alright. I promise,' she said and held his hands in her own. Staring at each other for a few moments, Gold deflated and his breath came out in a misty puff in the cold.

'If you insist on working in that horrible place, I'll give you a ride home. Every night that you work.'

'You barely know me. You don't-'

'There's something you should know about me, dearie. If I want something, I usually get it. Usually with little to no interference. Now, I will tell you again. I will be giving you a ride home to and from work each night for the foreseeable future. Am I clear?' he asked, his voice stern and his accent a bit more than Lyra could handle.

'Yes, sir.'

'Good lass,' he muttered before touching her face again. 'Now get inside, lock up, and get to bed. I want you ready for me to pick you up at 11.30. Alright?'

Leaning into his hand, she grinned and nodded. 'Alright, alright. I'll be ready at 11.30.' At her acceptance of his plan, Gold leaned forward and pressed a warm kiss to her lips. The feeling of familiarity ran over her again but she hardly had time to process it before he was pulling away again.

'Get inside, Lyra. I'll see you tomorrow,' he whispered and nudged her toward her door. She huffed but finally opened the door and made her way in. 'Goodnight, dearie,' he said to her before she nodded and closed the door, locking it after. She waited a moment or two before she heard his car door close and him quietly pull away from her home and down the hill.

As Gold neared the bottom of the hill that separated Lyra's land from the rest of Storybrooke, he groaned in his throat. Sitting at the bottom, perhaps waiting for him, was none other than a silver car owned by one Regina Mills.

As he slowed, the lights of the car turned on. He rolled down his window to see that the Mayor had done the same. 'What were you doing up there, Gold?' the raven-haired woman asked, not even looking at him. Her dark eyes were trained on the shadows of Lyra's trees.

'Seeing a woman home,' he said as if it was nothing, but his knuckles were turning white on the steering wheel.

'Oh? And would that woman be Lyralia T. Therou? Thanks to Sherriff Swan, I'm now aware of Ms. Therou and the land she resides on. Don't let her get too comfortable up there, Gold. She's not a part of Storybrooke, the community or the town jurisdiction. I've also been told that her house is condemnable.'

'Is there something you wish to say, dear?' Gold asked, his eyes finally meeting hers. His happy mood was just about shot.

'Strangers aren't welcome in Storybrooke, Gold. Hopefully an accident doesn't happen to a house that doesn't even abide by our ordinances. I'd hate to see something go wrong for Ms. Therou or anyone that befriends her.'

With that, the silver car backed up, turned, and sped away. Though his time with Lyra hadn't been much, memories of time spent in other places with different names bubbled to the surface. Since the appearance of one Emma Swan, the images flooded his mind, both good and bad. He remembered the little woman who lived in a tree trunk and the ensuing life he had with her. And it's ending in death, betrayal, and hopelessness.

But she was there now, with him, and agreed to see him. Whether it was as they once were or as two souls fascinated with one another, he didn't mind. Regina couldn't take it away from him, not like she had. And he dared her to try.


End file.
